One Chance
by southernbeauty13
Summary: She stood there, halfway out the door, and stared into his deep brown eyes. He knew that what he asked meant that in the end she could walk out of his life forever. He wanted to show her that she could trust him and to open her heart. To show her that life wasn't all of what she'd always known. To show her what life could be. All he needed was one chance.
1. Prologue

I tried to remain calm as I walked through busy, rain covered streets of New York. My heart hammered in my chest but I kept my breathing normal and kept the soaked hoodie pulled over my head. I could still hear my father screaming, drunk as usual, that when he found me, he'd make sure that I wasn't found again.

I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm, ignoring the pain in my ribs from the bruises that were forming there. I could still feel his boot on my ribcage but I knew after I left, I'd never feel it again. The train pulled into the station and I blended into the crowd of people who were boarding the train.

I took a seat next to the window at the very back of the bus and leaned my head back against the seat. I felt a tap on my shoulder and opened my eyes and turned to see an elderly woman with gray hair and blue eyes, a book in her hand that was extended to me.

"It'll be a long ride, miss." I took the book and saw that it was _Romeo and Juliet,_ a personal favorite of mine.

"Thank you." I told her and opened the book. I got comfortable and felt a smile on my face for the first time in my 22 years.

I was free and I was on my own. My name would be the same always but I was finally free to find out who I was. It was time for me to start living and looking forward to my future. My past was over and I was starting my story.

Quantico, Virginia would be the start of a new, better life.


	2. Chapter 1

_SPENCER POV_

I pulled into the parking lot of the apartments I'd come to call home the last 13 years and carefully pulled the papers of our latest case from the Volvo. I closed the door and turned my attention to the papers in my hand.

Seven kills and the only similarity was the brand in an infinity sign on the back of the victims' necks and that they all had a lot of enemies, several in common. We were heading to New York in two days to look into the murder spree.

I pushed the door open to the front entrance and heard footsteps approaching, not quite in a run yet.

"Could you hold that for one second?" a voice asked and I turned to see a young woman trying to adjust two large boxes against a brick wall. She was about 5'7, an athletic figure, long red hair that fell over her shoulder in waves that fell to the middle of her back, and bright golden eyes.

"Of course. When did you move in?" I asked as I held the door for her.

"Today. Thank you." She nodded and gave a quick smile before heading up the stairs.

I laughed as I saw her trying to adjust the two large boxes as she walked up the stairs. "Let me help."

I grabbed the box on top and placed my file on top of it. "I'd say I've got it but…" she laughed lightly and I walked with her up the stairs and saw the door next to mine open.

"This is it." She sat the box down and I put the other in her doorway. She turned to me with a smile. "Thanks for the help. You probably just saved me a trip to the hospital."

"There's a better possibility that it would have broken your neck and possibly dislocated your shoulder considering that you were carrying a couple of items." I felt my eyes widen as the words left my mouth.

She laughed and said. "Then thank you for saving me from a trip to the morgue. Moving here would have been kind of pointless."

I nodded and looked around to see her apartment was empty except for the two boxes. "Where are the other boxes?"

She smiled and put her hands on her hips as she looked at the apartment. "This is it. I didn't have anything when I left home but a friend had these in her garage." She smiled as she pulled a copy of _Romeo and Juliet_ from one of the boxes.

"Well I'll leave you to unpack." I said as I grabbed my case file off of the box I'd carried.

"Wait." She called and I turned around to see her pulling her hair behind her back into a pony tail. "Will I be seeing you around?"

I shrugged and said "I work a lot but I'm next door."

Her smile widened as she looked up from one of the boxes, revealing an air mattress, a pillow, a white sheet, and a blue blanket. "So that makes us neighbors."

"It was nice meeting you." I told her and turned to walk out the door.

"You're forgetting something." She stated, a light teasing note in her voice.

I turned to look at her confused. A smile rested on her lips and she rolled her eyes. "What's your name?"

I laughed this time. "Spencer Reid." I said holding out a hand to her.

She shook my hand and smiled. "Bexley Kirrier." I looked into her golden eyes and saw that they were full of warmth.

I looked down and noticed that I was still holding her hand. I cleared my throat and stuffed my hand in my pocket.

I turned and walked out her door and could hear the smallest sound of laughter from her apartment.

I unlocked my door and walked into my apartment, closing the door behind me. I sat the file on my desk and pulled out my cell phone.

Missed calls from Morgan, Garcia, and Hotch. I grabbed the case and walked back out the door and locked it again, quickly making my way down the stairs.

 _BEXLEY POV_

I laughed lightly as I saw the annoyed expression on my new neighbors face. He was nice and I'd be lying if I said I was surprised. It seemed to be from his heart but I would have to wait and see. My father had taught me the hard way how people can deceive you.

Days when he hadn't had a drop to drink he'd be so kind and treat me like a human being and would send me to bed with new bruises. I was thankful though. Many people had it worse than I did and I knew this. I'd developed trust issues and was unable to relax but my father had never wanted me for anything more than a punching bag.

He couldn't stand to hit something that didn't feel pain and the rebelliousness in me would never allow him that satisfaction of seeing the pain on my face until I could take no more. As I grabbed my bruised ribs and let out small whimpers, my father would look down at me and smile, not in malice, but as if he was content.

I pushed the memories to the back of my mind and picked up the newspapers in the box that Spencer had carried in. He'd taken the heavier box, definitely. A stereo, a lamp that had to be pieced together, two sets of dishes, an alarm clock, some pots and pans, and a few books.

I pulled out the air mattress and the automatic air pump, took it to my small bedroom, plugged it into the wall, put the line into the mattress and turned it on. I sat down on the floor waiting for the air to fill up and looked at the newspaper, checking for a job again.

My grandmother on my father's side, the only relative I'd ever cared for, had left me ten thousand dollars in her will when she died. We'd arranged this when I was fourteen. She knew that I would be stuck with my father and my mother was never coming back. Last I'd heard she'd found a new boyfriend and had no guilty conscience about abandoning her six year old daughter at the time.

My grandmother had said that as soon as I was free and away from my father I could access the money but not until then. The will had stayed between me, her, and a lawyer who was a very trusted friend of hers.

I still felt pain in my heart from six years ago when she died. She was kind and spirited; I had her maiden name as my own last name. My parents had refused to name me after them, fearing the embarrassment that would come from it. She was the only person I ever knew loved me. Eleanor, the elderly woman who'd given me everything I now owned, reminded me a lot of her. Eleanor never had children or married and had told me to come around as often as I like. I would be sure to do well on that promise, when I wasn't working.

 _The Blast_ , or the music store, was the only thing I could find that didn't require a college education. I would need to check out the music selection of this town eventually anyway and working there would give me the chance to find out what was good. Not that I knew that. My father hated music and had never allowed it in the house.

Now was as good a time to learn as any. I leaned over and flipped off the air pump and fixed the mattress so the air wouldn't leak out, put the sheet, pillow, and blanket on the bed and pushed it into the corner of the bedroom.

I walked out of my bedroom, past the bathroom, the small kitchen, and living room. I got to my door and looked into my apartment once more before closing and locking the door.

My apartment. I laid my head against my door, a smile coming to my face as I thought the words. I was free and I wouldn't let anything change that again.


	3. Chapter 2

_SPENCER POV_

We all walked into the small diner and sat at one of the tables in the very back. The team chatted quietly after we ordered and waited on our food to come. I thought back to Bexley and what she'd said about if she died, that would have defeated the purpose of coming here.

I wondered for a while what had happened to her and why she was here alone. She seemed like a fairly easy going person and from what I'd seen over the years; people who are abused either deny it or seek help. Bexley didn't seem the type to do either. I shook the thoughts away. I didn't know anything about her and I definitely didn't need to intervene unless a case came up.

"Reid?" Hotch's voice interrupted my train of though. I blinked trying to think of what he said and came up with nothing.

Garcia looked up from her conversation with JJ and turned to me. "You ok?" she asked and I cleared my mind and turned back to Morgan.

"Just wasn't paying attention. What was the question?" I asked. JJ laughed lightly and Garcia stared at me, her eyes wide with interest and I turned to see Rossi and Morgan had turned their attention to me as well. Morgan simply had an eyebrow arched while Rossi's eyes held a bit of amusement.

"Don't tell me you're off your game today, pretty boy." Morgan broke the silence and I couldn't help but be thankful.

Plates were set in front of us shortly after this and I stayed quiet the rest of the meal. I kept my concentration on the case and the other conversations that the team offered. Talk of my godson, Henry, and his interest in school, Morgan's newest relationship, and Garcia's newest fashion ideas.

After our checks were paid, we all said goodbye and headed our separate ways. I heard footsteps running after me and turned to see Garcia… with my bag.

I felt a light blush building as I held out my hand for the bag. I was surprised when Garcia, pulled the strap over her head and crossed her arms, a smile playing on her bright red lips.

"Not until you tell me what's going on." she said and I was about to say nothing when she quickly said "I ran in heels. You owe me. Plus, I'm worried. Since when do you not pay attention?"

I shrugged. "Nothing's wrong. I just had something else on my mind. A case, actually." I'd thought about the infinity branded victims, the connections between them, the enemies they had in common. I couldn't help but wonder if there was more than one unsub out there.

"Really?" she asked with a bored expression. "So nothing interesting or new?"

I shook my head and continued to walk with her until we reached the front of the apartment building and I held out my bag. She handed it over and gave me a smile. "See you tomorrow, kiddo."

I nodded and walked through the doors of the building. As I got to the top of the stairs, I could see Bexley's door was wide open. I looked in and didn't see her but walked past her door and to my own. I put the key in and walked into my apartment, closing the door behind me.

I sat the down on my couch and pulled my shoes off, revealing my mismatched socks, and propped my feet up on one arm of the couch and rested my head on the other as I grabbed the case file off of the small table. I turned to the clock that read 11:30 pm and knowing I had to meet Morgan and JJ early in the morning. I read until I felt myself falling asleep and then lay back on my couch and closed my eyes.

 _BEXLEY POV_

I got up the next morning and showered, thankful that I'd gone and gotten towels, five sets of clothes, a pair of pajamas, plenty of underwear, and my three bras the day before. I'd also gotten the job that I went in for.

Sam, _The Blast_ 's owner had been very welcoming along with my three coworkers, Roxy, Nathan, and Drew. Since the music sales area wasn't very large, it took very few workers and only two of us would be working a day unless it was a holiday.

Sam had assured me however to let him know if I just needed something to do and he could schedule me as many hours as I'd like. I looked into my half empty food cabinet and smiled. _I might need to take him up on that offer soon._ I thought as I closed my cabinet after grabbing a can of corn. I put it in one of the plastic bowls I'd bought the other day and heated it up in the microwave for a minute.

I grabbed the McDonald's cup I'd gotten from my trip with Eleanor my first day here and filled it up with a few cubes of ice and water. I'd been too nervous about breaking the dishes last night to put them up and after just waking up I didn't want to try to put them away now.

I grabbed my plastic spork from the drawer and the bowl of corn from the microwave and sat down on my gray carpeted floor and ate, listening to the sound of people in the hallway. I looked at the clock that Eleanor had given me and saw that it was almost ten am.

I threw my bowl and Spork away after I finished and ran a brush through my long red hair once more before pulling it back and putting on deodorant and the vanilla mist perfume my grandmother had always adored before walking out the door.

I walked down to meet Eleanor, who was standing just outside the apartment building. She smiled and held out a cup of coffee to me, which I took immediately.

"Thank you." I said after drinking half of the cup, the stinging at the end of my tongue was worth the caffeine boost.

"Did you not sleep well?" she asked and I immediately lifted my hand to brush the dark circles under my eyes.

I shook my head and just gave her a smile. She didn't ask any further questions as we made our way to her car. I saw a tall man with dark skin standing by a black SUV and his face was kind and he wore a flirtatious smile. He looked older, maybe mid-forties, but it was obvious he was in shape.

Someone stood next to him, a pretty blonde woman who looked only slightly younger than him. She was average height and toned but wore a look almost teasing unlike the older male.

I stared for a moment before her eyes focused on something at the apartment building. I turned around to see none other than my neighbor coming out of the building.

He walked over to the group, the same yellow file in his hand as last night and a bag over his shoulder. They exchanged greeting and I saw the F.B.I. badge in the woman's back pocket and felt my heart drop.

That explained the serious note as well as the file that Spencer seemed to not let out of his sight. I shook my head and looked down quickly, closing my eyes at memories that threatened to make themselves appear.

" _Bexley!" he yelled down the hallway as I heard a bottle being thrown against the wall, the shattered glass hitting my bare feet. I could feel my heart beating in my ears, the fear threatened to consume me but as I saw the door to my room, I felt a small hope. Hope that I knew I shouldn't have felt._

 _As I went to close and lock the door I was knocked back onto my floor. My father stood over me, swaying, and his eyes blood shot from the whiskey that he'd finished from the bottle he'd thrown at me. I curled up into a ball as he kicked me in the back and hoped that he was too drunk to aim. After lying on the ground like that for eight minutes and forty-five seconds, he stopped._

 _When I looked up to see his face I felt his fist connect with my cheek and cupped my face and finally a sob broke free from my throat. I couldn't stop the tears that fell down my eyes and looked up at him._

 _The smell of his whiskey enveloped my nose and as I stared up at him, he smiled a look of content and victory in his eyes. He left me there, bleeding and crying on my bedroom floor. I thought of my life after I was free from him and what it would be like. That was the only thing that kept me going._

 _Everyone knew what kind of person he was, the neighbors heard my screams the first few times he'd beat me, I'd reached out for help but no one believed me. My own mother had abandoned me months ago. She'd walked out on a six year old and left me with a monster. No one cared. I was going to have to be strong; there was no other way around this mess. Strong and very, very alone._

"What's the matter dear?" Eleanor's voice pulled me to the present and I shook my head again. I pushed my memories of the past sixteen years away.

"Nothing. Let's go see what we can find at the book store." I gave her a smile and continued the walk with her to her car, ignoring the three people standing around the SUV.

 *****I hope you are all enjoying the story. R &R and thank you for reading. **


	4. Chapter 3

_SPENCER POV_

The plane landed a few hours later and we were in the busy city of New York again. We split into groups to find our possible unsubs and hopefully find out a little more about the real one. Morgan and I walked quietly to James Davis home. He and one of our victims had been friends for two years and then suddenly two months ago could no longer stand the sight of each other.

He'd given a very emotional show after finding out about his friend's death but the odds of this being bad time was not likely. We walked up to the doorstep of the small apartment complex and knocked on the door.

"Yes sir?" A man around at latest his mid-twenties with dark hair and blue eyes opened the door. The smell of alcohol wrapped around us and several empty cases lay around the living room floor.

"I'm Agent Morgan; this is my partner, Dr. Reid. We'd like to know if we can ask you a few questions." Morgan stared him down for a moment before the he moved and allowed us to walk inside.

James sat on the stained dark blue couch that had several gashes in it and we sat across from him in the lawn chairs that were placed in front of the TV. He put his face in his hands and waited quietly.

"Melissa Lucas was a friend of yours for two years. Good friends from what we've heard. What caused the sudden change between the two of you?" Morgan asked and I looked around the walls. There were several pictures of Melissa and him together, as well as some of just her.

"Mel was my best friend. I'd just moved her and she was the first person to be kind to me. Two months ago she got a call from some guy. I asked her about him and she freaked out. She started screaming at me, saying that it was none of my business and then told me that she thought it would be better if we didn't see each other anymore."

As we took in this information, I looked to see his eyes were all serious and I could see the visible pain talking about this caused him. The anger showed as well. "Were you and Melissa romantically involved?" I asked and he didn't look surprised at the question.

"That would make me a prime suspect wouldn't it? She was like a sister to me. Yes, it made me angry but she was all I had."

I nodded and asked my next question. "Did she ever mention a name that you weren't familiar with or perhaps have a picture of someone you didn't recognize?"

He shook his head and ran a hand through his shaggy blonde hair. "She wanted to make sure it was a secret. We never kept secrets from each other. That was the first."

Morgan and I stood from our chairs as he put his head in his hands, a light sob escaping his throat. "We're sorry for your loss. If anything comes to mind, inform us immediately. We'll do what we can to find her murderer and put him away." Morgan assured him before we walked out the door.

We left the apartment quickly after that and made our way to the SUV. After getting in the vehicle I replayed his facial expressions, his emotions, and came to the conclusion that he was telling the truth.

"That's one less suspect." Morgan said and I thought back to the other possible unsubs. Marina Norris wasn't likely to be the killer. Unless she had help, the odds of someone her size causing the damage done to the victims was highly unlikely.

Morgan's phone went off a moment later and he put it on speaker. "Please tell me you had better luck than we did."

"Christopher Wyatt's profile came up clean. He'd been involved with the victim romantically and it had ended on him accusing her of cheating. He was angry but he moved on quickly. Left town after the break up and met someone in Florida." Hotch's voice came through and I could hear JJ shuffling through the file papers.

"Kid had a bad temper but she didn't mean much to him." she added after she stopped shuffling the papers.

"Which means we've overlooked our unsub." I stated and more papers being shuffled came through the line. "We'll have to look again."

"I'll call Garcia and see what she can find. Meet you at the diner." JJ said and they hung up shortly after.

Melissa Lucas had been whipped several times and starved before she'd died. The brands were made shortly after the victims had passed and the infinity sign had to have been home made. There was no need for anything to be branded around here and the unsub had to know these women and their schedules.

I reached for my phone and called Garcia to fill her in on the information. "What's up, buttercup?"

"The unsub is more than likely from out of town. Search for someone who just moved within a five mile radius of the victims and who has a history in farming or in welding. " I tried to think of anything else that may or may not be significant but came up empty handed.

"I'll call when I find something. PG out." I put the phone back in my pocket and sat back in the passenger seat as we headed to meet with the rest of the team at a local diner.

We pulled into the bar and walked over to where Hotch, JJ, and Rossi sat in the furthest booth back. I could see Garcia on the laptop in the middle of the table and had said something that earned her an amused look from Rossi and JJ while Hotch was clearly unamused.

As Morgan and I pulled up a chair to the booth two pictures popped on the laptop. Garcia cleared her throat before starting.

"Ok so there were two people who match the descriptions I got. Nathan Madden, the all-around good guy who has a history of helping out around town, volunteer work, loving family, and the occasional handy man. Next is Brayden Blackgrace: the exact opposite. Car theft, in and out of prison for threaten the wrong person, no family to be found, and a rather bad reputation with the ladies."

The waitress came over and handed us all a cup of black coffee and as we grabbed what we wanted from the packs of sugar and different creams we studied the pictures very closely.

"So we have the guy no one would suspect and the guy everyone would expect." Morgan stated and Garcia gave a smirk.

"Right you are, my friend." Hotch sat up from his chair and grabbed his wallet, leaving a ten dollar bill on the table.

"Garcia, send us the addresses. Rossi, go with Reid and JJ and Morgan to Nathan Madden's home and Morgan and I will head out to Brayden Blackgrace's home." He said and walked out the diner with Rossi following.

The rest of us put in a tip and walked out the door to the SUV. I took the backseat and we quickly headed to the address Garcia had given Morgan. We found a small house located in the suburbs and walked up to the small porch to knock on the door.

"Nathan Madden, we'd like to ask you a few questions." JJ called as she knocked on the door. From inside the house we could hear the sound of furniture being moved and then the sound of a shattered window.

"Shit!" Morgan quickly pulled the gun from where he'd had it concealed and took off to the left of the house and as JJ kicked the door in I quickly headed around the right.

I glanced at the house to see that the window on my side wasn't broken, but was in fact open wide. The shattered glass had most likely been a distraction but he hadn't taken into consideration the possibility of three of us being there.

A man in a black hoodie caught my eye and I quickly picked up the pace and pulled the gun from my pocket. The man lived close to an alley way and tried to use it as an escape route and it failed to do so.

"Freeze!" I heard as Morgan came into view on the other end of the alley, gun ready. Nathan stopped running and turned to see my gun in my hand as well and put his hands on his head in an act of surrender.

Morgan quickly handcuffed him and began walking him out of the alley. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and called Hotch.

"Is everyone alright?" his voice echoed concern and I could imagine the look on his face almost as if he were in front of me.

"We've got Nathan Madden and we're bringing him." I told him and walked over to Morgan so he could hear our next instructions.

"Those whore's deserved it. They deserved to be branded like cattle. I gave them everything!" Nathan screamed and attempted to kick at Morgan, who just calmly walked him.

"The local PD are headed your way. It's time for us to head home. Dinner is on me tonight." Rossi said and the line disconnected after that. I put the phone in my pocket and walked back with Morgan.

"You boys ok?" JJ asked as she ran up to us and we both nodded. We saw the police car where she stood and Nathan kicked and screamed as he was forced in.

A string of profanities left his mouth and after they drove off I heard JJ take a deep breath. Morgan and I turned to her and it was impossible not to see the smile on her face.

"Thank God it's the weekend. I'm more than ready to see Henry." She said with a light sigh.

Morgan put a hand on her shoulder and laughed. "Then let's not keep you waiting any more than we have to. Plus Rossi's cooking tonight."

She punched us both in the arm lightly and we laughed as we made our way to the SUV to head to the airport.

 _BEXLEY POV_

I made my way down the street with Eleanor at my side and listened as she told me how to spend my night off. I tried to act interested but couldn't deny the fact that clubbing and dating wasn't something I'd ever done. I definitely didn't want to start now, but I wouldn't tell her that.

"Eleanor, where exactly are we going?" I asked hoping both to distract her and get an answer this time. We'd wandered the streets all day and she had simply said that she was waiting on a friend to get back.

"My friend is finally home from New York and I had to pick up something for him. Who do you think we bought ingredients for spaghetti? I can't see to cook and quite frankly I don't trust yours." She laughed and I had to refrain from rolling my eyes.

"I can cook. I'll cook for you one day." I told her and she laughed at me. I had had to learn how to cook at an early age. I'd fend for myself while dad was too busy drinking and hoped that if he'd had a hot meal waiting for him, the beating would be gentler. Very rarely did that work though.

"He owes me dinner anyway, dear. Plus, he called a little while ago and said that he'll have a few friends over. This will be a good chance for you to meet people before you go to work; a chance to break out of your shell a little bit."

She looped an arm around my waist and then turned at a rather large house with at least four vehicles out there. I felt my heart rate pick up a little but silenced my worries. I wasn't going to be scared of meeting new people anymore. I just had to get used to the idea.

Eleanor knocked on the door and not a moment later an obviously Italian male stepped out from the house. He wasn't very tall but enveloped Eleanor in a hug and I smiled at the sweet gesture. I hadn't seen many in my life and the one's I had seen were in movies so it was nice to see one that was real.

"Rossi, it's good to see you too." She pulled away from the hug and reached back to grab my hand. "This is a close friend of mine and she's also new to Quantico. I hope you don't mind an extra person."

The man laughed and held out a hand to me. "Of course I don't mind, Eleanor. The more people the better. David Rossi and it's nice to meet you."

I took his hand and shook it once before saying "Bexley Kirrier and the same."

"Please come in and I'll introduce you to everyone." I walked in and saw about three other people standing around a small but elegant kitchen. I took a deep breath and followed quickly.


	5. Chapter 4

_BEXLEY POV_

David walked me over to the small group of people and I could hear my heart taking off. Eleanor walked over and gave the group a polite hello as she sat in one of the dining room chairs at the small table instead of the bar.

David cleared his throat as we walked and I felt a light blush as four pairs of eyes turned to me. "Guys, this is a very close friend of Eleanor's and she's also new in town." I gave a light smile in greeting and stuffed my hands in my pockets.

"This is Penelope Garcia, Derek Morgan, Aaron Hotchner, and Jennifer Jareau LaMontagne or JJ. This young lady is Bexley Kirrier." He gestured to each of them as he said their names and they all gave a kind smile as they were introduced.

"We're missing one." Rossi said and rolled his eyes. "These are the social members of the group."

I laughed at this and managed to get out. "Nice to meet all of you." Rossi pulled up another stool to the counter and I took a seat between JJ and Penelope.

I listened more than joined the conversation and I learned that JJ was married to a man in the FBI and had a kid with him that was four years old and that Aaron, or "Hotch" as the team seemed to prefer, had a little boy and had a little over a year ago lost his wife.

JJ laughed as a door closed louder than seemed to be intended and I turned to the noise. Relief filled me as I saw a familiar face and I felt a smile pull at my lips.

"Hey." I said and Spencer looked up. "Hey. Did you get moved in ok?" he asked and I turned around to face him in my chair. I nodded and crossed my legs in a sitting position.

"It wasn't much and thanks to you, I wound up not only not having to make more than one trip, but everything got there in one piece."

He laughed and gave me a light shrug. "Glad I could help."

A throat being cleared made me realize that we were the only one's talking. I looked down at the floor and heard my heart hammering in my ears.

"So you two know each other?" Rossi attempted to lighten the mood and I felt nervous as I realized now every eye in the room was on me.

Old habits are hard to break I guess.

"She's my new neighbor actually. We met the other day when she was moving in." he said casually and pulled out the stool on the other side of JJ.

"So how did the case go today?" Penelope asked as Rossi grabbed the plates and put spaghetti on them along with a piece of garlic bread.

"New York is great if you're not chasing down criminals." Rossi said as he sat down to join the rest of us at the table. I felt my stomach drop and also a bit of anger.

"He'll be put on trial soon and odds are he has twenty to life. That's one less criminal in New York." Aaron replied and his stern expression never changed.

JJ took a small sip from her glass of wine and said "I wish we could do more. There are several unsolved cases but they can't press for an investigation yet."

"That's the local PD's job. We can't interfere unless called on." Penelope said as she gave a sympathetic smile.

"There are several cases you don't know about yet. Crimes are leveled by the importance and the ones lower on the list, like child abuse for example, are focused more on the name of the kid, the extremeness of the abuse, or the age of the child. Most abuse cases are all but forgotten due to the high rate of crime in big cities."

I felt all eyes on me and wanted to take back the words that I hadn't thought through before I spoke them. I had curious eyes on me and knew that they were wondering if I was speaking from personal experience. I wanted to say no. I wanted to forget about everything that had happened to me throughout my life.I wanted that part of my life to stop haunting me every damn day.

But it didn't look like that was going to happen. So I said the first thing I could think of. "Sorry, I read a lot."

They looked back down at their plates and I was grateful. I felt one set of eyes on me that I wished would have dropped it, so I decided to change the subject quickly. I turned to Eleanor who just gave me a gentle smile before she resumed eating the piece of garlic bread in her hand.

"So what branch of the FBI do you guys work as?" I asked and was grateful when they all gave me a smile.

"Behavior Analysis Unit or the BAU." JJ replied and I decided to keep this topic of conversation of going.

I was officially interested and listened as they talked about their jobs the rest of the night and listened to their stories of how they'd come to be in the BAU and Quantico, Virginia. Thoughts of my father left my mind and I enjoyed my night with Eleanor as well as people that I thought I would never want to be around.

 _SPENCER POV_

After the meal was over and we'd all said our goodbyes I quickly caught up to Bexley. Eleanor had gone home early to rest but Bexley had stayed behind to listen to us talk about our jobs. She listened intensely as we spoke about our jobs but when her own life came up; she'd turn to a different member of the team and ask anything from how they joined to what made them chose this job.

"Hey." She said as I walked next to her. "Everyone seems really nice. Does Aaron ever smile though?"

I laughed and shook my head. "It's rare but he's not as bad as he seems." She nodded at the statement and shrugged.

I couldn't help but stare at her. She looked guarded and something about her smile now and at dinner seemed… off. She looked ahead watching every shadow and catching every movement. Paranoia wasn't likely considering that she'd said she was from a big city, though she never said which. She'd kept the same blank expression on her face and had avoided any questions about her past.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked and she had a thoughtful look come across her face before she answered "Yes."

I tried to think of how to bring up the subject of her life. A subject she avoided so cleverly or simply ignored. I decided to be straightforward with the question. "Why do you avoid questions about your past? Most people avoid them because they are ashamed, act as if it didn't happen, or some lie and make their past seem better or worse than the reality of it."

She took a deep breath before answering, contemplating what to say. "I'd rather leave my past where it is. I can't change it and it holds no significance for the future I have in mind." she smiled trying to brush off the conversation.

I couldn't drop it and I knew she wouldn't like what I'd say next. "I noticed you got really defensive over the child abuse cases and—"

"Don't profile me." her voice was filled with anger but she didn't deny the question that I'd left open.

Regret filled me as I saw the pain in her eyes and then it disappeared to be filled with anger, but as her nails dug into the skin on her palm, I realized that it wasn't just me that she was angry with.

We didn't say anything as the apartment complex came into view or even as we made our way up the stairs to our apartments. She pulled the key from her pocket and put it in the door but didn't turn the key.

Instead she laid her head on the door and stayed like that for a moment. Her eyes clenched tightly for a few moments before relaxed.

"Damn." She said as she let soft, humorless laugh escape her. She opened her eyes and an emotionless expression came across her face as she turned the key and walked into her apartment, closing the door behind her.

I knew that my profiling skills had once again come through but I almost wished they hadn't. I had more than likely opened up painful memories for her that she'd tried to forget or work through and felt guilty for every word.

I walked inside my own apartment and closed the door behind me, placing my phone on the small table next to the door. I sat on my couch and put my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands as several different child abuse cases ran through my mind.

In all the years I'd worked with the FBI, I could never once understand how anyone could hurt someone who'd done nothing wrong. I'd heard several reasons but they'd never made sense and it was never right, no matter how it was put.

The thought of someone angry, disappointed or in pain had never been a justifiable answer for taking their problems out on someone they were supposed to love and protect. I would have done anything to find out how to help her heal and how to help her move past the secret hell she'd been through.

I'd have to give her time to cool off and I'd let her decide when she was ready to talk again. If she would want to and if she did I would be sure to be there to listen.

Nothing could be done to night though and so I shook my head and chased away the last hour of the night and laid back, letting sleep claim me for the night.

 *****Can't keep a secret from a profiler but pushing questions that someone doesn't want to answer is not the best way to help. Anyways, R &R and have a great day. **


	6. Chapter 5

_BEXLEY POV_

Three days after the dinner with the BAU, I was walking with Eleanor down to the small coffee shop. I was dressed in black jeans and a bright blue shirt, my hair pulled back from my face so I could see when I went to work after the coffee this morning. My new black boots were still being broken in so the walk caused a slight pain but it was worth it. I'd finally been able to buy something of my own in twenty-two years and would take the small ache in my feet any day.

Eleanor and I walked into the coffee shop and as she sat down in our booth in the back, I ordered our coffee. I sat hers down in front of her and drank my vanilla flavored coffee and stared out the window as Eleanor pulled a book out of her bag.

She tapped my arm a little while later and I was able to escape from my mind. She looked at me with a gentle smile and I noticed her shoulder length gray hair was now in a bun opposed to it hanging down earlier.

"Did you enjoy the other evening?" she asked and placed a bagel in front of me. I hadn't noticed she'd gotten up and grabbed the small cup of butter and the plastic knife to spread across the bagel.

"Thank you. It was fun." I said and took a bite from the bagel. She cleared her throat and gave me a smile.

"Rossi likes to have group dinners like that often. He's having another one soon and the team was more than happy to have you there. Would you like to go again?"

I bit my lip before I looked down and said "I don't really like crowds and they don't know me like they do you." And I'd rather not have any more questions asked about my past.

She laughed lightly. "Honey, you have to be around a person to get to know them."

I shrugged and took another bite from my bagel. "I'd rather just not try. I've never really been good at making friends and people in general just don't like me. Partly because I speak my mind." I gave her a mischievous smile and she rolled her eyes.

I looked to the clock on the wall and saw that I still had fifteen minutes left to relax. I sat back into the booth and saw Eleanor had a thoughtful look on her face.

"What is it?" I asked and she smiled at me. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking of how you and that boy the other night seemed to get along just fine." she looked at me and seemed like she was waiting on an answer. I looked at my hands as I started scraping at my nails to keep my attention away from her.

"We… had a fight… sort of." If you could call it that. I knew I'd overreacted to an extent but I knew talking about my past would do nothing but get me sympathy that I didn't want. "I overreacted over something that he asked.'

She placed her hand on top of my fidgeting hands and I looked back up at her. "Then maybe you should apologize."

"He had no right to ask what he did. It's none of his damn business." My tone was harsh but her face never changed from the soft expression she had.

She waited a moment for me to relax before speaking again. "Then maybe you should give him another chance. Not all people are terrible, dear."

I looked down and put my face in my hands while my elbows rested on the table. I thought for a moment and after taking a few calming breaths I looked back up at her. "Maybe you're right."

"I've lived a long life and I know what I'm talking about a lot of the time. Listen some of the time." we laughed for a moment before I looked back to the clock and saw that my fifteen minutes were up.

"Thank you, Eleanor." I said as I stood up from my seat and straightened out my work clothes.

"You can thank me by coming to the next group dinner Rossi decides to have." The teasing was clear in her voice and I walked out the door.

I thought back to the argument I had with Spencer and knew that he'd asked out of habitat instead of prying. The BAU was all about solving crimes as much as they could and trying to put as many criminals away as possible. A job that tried to make the world a little better, in whatever way possible.

I wondered if someone would have cared enough to report my father, if I'd have been the way I am now or if I'd have gone to a foster home and had been more trusting. I shook the thought from my head and knew that I'd rather be on my own now than have even been in a foster home. Not because of the rumors of foster care but because I'd rather be on my own.

It was easier to avoid getting hurt that way.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

I grabbed my cell phone and bag before grabbing my keys off the coffee table in my apartment. A case had come up and I was more than happy for the chance to get out of the apartments for a few days. Bexley had rightfully been ignoring me the past few days and I knew that giving her space was more than likely the best thing to do right now. However, the fact that she couldn't even look at me right now made the guilt that much more unbearable.

I shook the thought from my head and walked out the door. I closed and locked the door and turned around to hit someone. I dropped my keys and steadied myself quickly as I grabbed whoever I'd bumped into to keep them from falling.

Red hair was everywhere and the sound of laughter was unmistakable as I let go of her. Bexley was still laughing when she stood up and I felt a slight blush come to my cheeks.

"I'm so sorry." I couldn't help the laughter that managed to escape; her laugh seemed almost… contagious.

"No, I was hoping I'd bump into you. I just didn't think it would be so literal." She laughed once more before picking up my keys from the floor. "Plus I think that was a mutual fault."

I looked into her gold eyes as she placed my keys in my hand and saw amusement. Not the first sign of anger was there and I felt a bit of relief at this fact.

I then remembered that I had a case in L.A. to get to. "Well, sorry about that… again. Bye." I went to walk around her when she put a hand on my arm.

"Actually, do you have a second to spare?" she asked, an unsure look in her eyes this time. I simply nodded and waited for her to continue. "I wanted to apologize for losing my temper the other night. I overreacted and I know you were just trying to help. I do appreciate it but I just…" she paused for a moment and seemed to be thinking of something to say.

"Don't want your past to ruin your future?" I suggested and she looked up at me, almost surprised before she nodded. "I understand. It wasn't my place to ask though and I apologize for prying."

"Thank you." She said and crossed her arms over her chest. I'd seen this many times when a victim's friend or family member would try to almost hold themselves together over the pain they felt.

"Bexley." She looked up at me, uncertainty still clear in her eyes but anything else she kept hidden. "I'm not the easiest person to talk to because of the profiling and I'm not here a lot because of my job. I am however very honest and have been told I'm a good listener." I thought back to the many times I had talked with members of the team for hours about everything from troubles to laughing over nothing. I wanted to try to do that for Bexley, if nothing more than make her laugh again.

"Thanks. Be safe on your case." She said and walked into her apartment. I smiled and took out my phone to see a text from Morgan.

 **Waiting on you, pretty boy.** I groaned at the nickname and after shoving my phone in my pocket, quickly made my way down the stairs.


	7. Chapter 6

_SPENCER POV_

I woke up and felt more than a little sore. Sleeping on the plane ride home was never comfortable but falling asleep on the armrest really hadn't helped. I looked up to see that it was still dark, which meant I hadn't slept long.

I saw that everyone else was awake and had found a way to pass the time. JJ and Rossi were playing a game of cards, Hotch was looking something over on the computer, and Morgan was listening to music.

"Did you decide to join the living?" Rossi asked and I raised an eyebrow at him. "Have a nice nap?"

"I slept well but I'm going to make a request that the next time I fall asleep on the armrest, someone wake me up." I rubbed the stiff muscles in my neck and hoped the pressure would cause them to relax in a minute.

"No problem. I enjoy the sound of silence that comes with you being asleep." Morgan said with a laugh and I rolled my eyes.

JJ looked up from her hand of cards and cleared her throat. We all turned to look at her and she wore a smile on her face. "So Henry's birthday is today and we're having a small party later. Would you all like to come?"

"I don't see any reason for us to miss it." Hotch replied and gave her a quick smile before looking back at the computer.

"Five right?" Morgan asked and I nodded.

I thought for a moment and then asked "What exactly do you get for a five year old?"

Morgan laughed and I ignored him as Rossi shrugged. "Something to do with sports or cars." He thought for a moment and then added "Anything you wouldn't be interested in pretty much."

"He didn't do half bad at the baseball game, if you'll remember." Rossi countered and Morgan rolled his eyes.

"Guess you have a point." He said and gave me a teasing smile. "Does the invitation have a plus one on it?" Morgan asked and JJ raised an eyebrow.

"For your girl?" she asked and Hotch gave Morgan a stern look. Jack didn't take very well to strangers and he didn't need people coming in and out of his life at this point. His mother's death had made it hard for him to get close to anyone and temporary people just weren't something he needed right now.

"Not for me." we all stared for a moment and then Rossi let out a laugh.

Hotch's eyes went straight to Rossi and JJ grinned. I looked between them for answers and raised an eyebrow.

"What's funny?" I asked and sat my hands in my lap. JJ smiled and shrugged before going back to her cards.

"I was just wondering if you were going to invite your girl to meet your godson." Morgan said with a shrug and I knew that the confusion I felt was written plainly across my face.

"My girl?" I asked and Rossi laughed again.

Hotch closed the laptop he'd been using and sat back in his chair. He seemed just as curious as I was. Rossi groaned and turned to face the three of us again. "The pretty redhead next door." he said as if it was the most obvious thing.

I shook my head and leaned down to grab a book from my bag. Hotch cleared his throat and said "Avoiding questions now, Reid?"

I shrugged and opened the book. "It's not like that. At all. We're friends, barely."

"Is this a mutual feeling?" Morgan asked and I looked up from my book.

I kept my expression calm as I answered. "Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?" I knew there was a slim chance of them dropping the subject but against I decided to hope that the odds would be in my favor for once.

"Do you want the feelings to not be mutual? If you need advice you have a few pros to ask." Morgan said and Rossi gave him a dumbfounded look.

"A playboy and a man who's been divorced twice in one year?" he snorted and shook his head. "Yeah we're pros alright."

This caused the rest of us to start laughing and I was grateful for the distraction but I had a feeling that wouldn't be the end of the conversation.

"JJ do you have a specific theme for the party?" I asked and she smiled, knowing what I was trying to do.

"I do actually." She went along without a moment's hesitation and I made a mental note to thank her for that later.

At 5pm the plane landed and I quickly rushed off the plane to head to home to get ready and head to the store. I still hadn't figured out what I was going to get him but I hoped it would be easier when I got there.

I arrived at the apartment complex a little while later and quickly made my way up the stairs to my apartment. I put the key in the door and then… stopped. I looked to Bexley's door and I removed the key from my own door. Something felt wrong but as I was about to knock on her door, it came open.

She had a wild expression in her eyes that looked both fearful and defensive. Like she was expecting someone else. We stood there together for a moment, observing the other more closely than normal. I took note that her eyes had dark circles under them as if she hadn't slept in days and her hair was thrown up into a messy bun. Normally, her hair was in a bun but was up like she'd taken the time to do so; this however looked like she'd done so out of a necessity.

"Hey." She finally said and her posture relaxed. She removed some of the hair from her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at me. Her eyes were still watchful but not as intense as they had been moments ago.

"What's wrong?" I asked and any thoughts I'd had earlier were erased from my memory.

 _BEXLEY POV_

"What are you talking about?" I asked and leaned against my door. He shook his head and then focused his eyes on mine and I knew he was looking for… something. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Why are you answering my question with a question?" he asked and I put my hands on my hips, irritated now.

"I could ask you the same thing." He raised an eyebrow and then his eyes softened with understanding.

"I'm just…worried." He said and shoved his hands into his pockets.

Anger built in me but Eleanor's words crushed the feeling and instead I smiled. "I haven't slept well and thought I saw someone the other day." Dreaming of the bastard who used to beat the hell out of me had caused me to not be able to sleep for the past three days and my memories had been more visual and frequent due to the lack of sleep.

"Bexley…" he started and I cut him off quickly.

"I'm ok, Doc. Nothing a good night sleep won't fix." I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and saw a text form Sam.

 **2-8 ok for tomorrow?**

I quickly replied yes and looked back up at Spencer. "Sam needed a way to reach me and had an old phone lying around. The minutes aren't near as expensive hear as they were in… back home." I caught myself quickly.

"Can I see that for a moment?" he asked and I handed it over, fighting the urge to say now. He quickly typed something and handed it back to me. I saw his name now in my phone and gave him a smirk. "Just in case."

I turned the screen off and put the phone in my pocket. "Might be nice having a friend and neighbor in the BAU after all."

He gave a small shrug and then looked down at his watch. I rolled my eyes and said "Do you have a date?"

He laughed then and shook his head. "No, it's my godson's birthday and I needed to get a gift before 7."

"You have a godson?" I asked and he nodded once.

"JJ's son, Henry." I nodded once in understanding. He and JJ had seemed extremely close when I'd seen them together at David's and it shouldn't have surprised me that he'd have been her kid's godfather.

"That reminds me." he started and I raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to come with me? To the party?"

I felt my stomach do a back flip and crossed my arms. "I'm not exactly the best at social gatherings and I'm not the best at meeting new people as you saw the other night."

"The only people you wouldn't know would be Henry, his father Will, and Hotch's son, Jack." He blushed lightly and added quickly "I understand if you'd rather not though."

I smiled at his slight awkwardness and rolled my eyes. "Do you have about fifteen minutes to spare?" I asked and he nodded once. "Would you like to wait in here?"

"Sure." He said and followed me in but left the door open. I quickly ran to my room and threw on my white t-shirt and black jeans on. I brushed my hair out and put my deodorant and perfume on before taking one last look in the small mirror above my dresser and heading back into the living room.

"Look a bit better?" I asked and he took a moment to look me over.

"You look beautiful." I blushed then and suddenly felt really self-conscious of myself but shook the thoughts.

I instead decided to make a joke. "I'd imagine so, compared to what I looked like when I answered the door."

I laughed and he just smiled. He stood up from the small couch I'd been able to get in the last few days. It wasn't pretty but it was definitely more comfortable than the floor.

I walked with him out of my apartment and we headed to go find the little boy a gift for the party.


	8. Chapter 7

_SPENCER POV_

As we approached JJ and Will's apartment, I noticed Bexley's walk began to slow. I stopped and looked at her and saw that she was much further behind me than I had thought.

I noticed she was mouthing something and looking at her feet and if I hadn't have held out my arm, I was almost sure she wouldn't have noticed that I'd stopped walking. She looked up at me and had a confused look on her face.

"What?" she asked and looked back down at her feet. I moved the box that held Henry's gift underneath one of my arms and with my free hand lifted her face so I could see her eyes. She tensed up slightly but after taking a breath, relaxed.

"I wish you wouldn't worry. They all really like you. So will Henry." I tried to reassure her but I could see that I was just as bad at this as ever.

"I'm just not one for crowds." She replied and immediately let every expression in her eyes disappear.

I smiled and said "Me either."

She rolled her eyes but took a deep breath and started walking with me again. She crossed her arms as we walked and this caused her shirt to reveal a scar along her collar bone. I looked and saw that it wasn't just one scar, but several faded scars all around the same area.

She must have felt my eyes on her because she pulled the shirt up a little further, covering the scars. Everyone had them but most weren't so determined to hide them. I wondered again what her past held and how she'd come to get the scars that she hid so well.

Tonight wasn't the night to worry about such things but I knew that these questions would be in the back of my mind until answered. However, they'd only be answered if she was ready, which meant there was a possibility I'd never know.

"Reid!" I heard someone call and looked up to see Penelope. She was hard to miss, dressed in a dress of the brightest pink and blue colors I'd ever seen on her. She rushed down quickly and stopped when she saw Bexley.

"It's good to see you again." Penelope said and threw her arms around Bexley in a hug. I saw Bexley tense up and almost mechanically return the hug.

"Likewise." She said and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

"Come on, everyone is waiting." Garcia said and quickly rushed us up the stairs to the apartment. When we walked in all eyes were on us and I almost wished I wouldn't have asked Bexley to come. Not because I regretted it, but I knew she was more than a little uncomfortable and as I turned to her I saw her throw on a kind smile but it wasn't in her eyes. I'd seen her do this a number of times and wondered again how often she'd done this in her life and why she'd had to do so.

"Uncle Spencer!" The sound of running distracted me from my thoughts and I saw Henry running towards me. His long blonde hair was tucked behind his ears and his jeans and red t-shirt were certainly brand new. JJ and Will stood in the corner talking to Hotch and Rossi, and Morgan, I assumed, was teasing Garcia about something from the way she smacked him playfully on the arm.

"Happy birthday, Henry." I got down on a knee and wrapped my free arm around him as he wrapped both of his arms around my neck.

Will came into view a moment later and grabbed the gift from my hand and sat it on a table with the others. Henry looked up then and looked confused as he glanced over my shoulder. I turned my head and saw Bexley. Judging from her posture I could tell that more than anything she wanted to disappear.

I stood up as Henry let go of my neck, placing myself beside her again. I turned to her and then to Henry. "Henry, this is my friend, Bexley. Bexley, my godson, Henry." Her eyes were unsure and she seemed to not know what to say. Her hands were now by her side and I reached back to give her hand a quick reassuring squeeze.

"Nice to meet you and happy birthday." She smiled then. A real smile this time and, after a quick thank you, Henry ran towards where Jack was sitting on the couch. Jack and Bexley exchanged a smile and a nod of recognition but didn't say anything. He gave me a wave of greeting before turning his attention to Henry.

Henry jumped on the couch and the two began conversing, excited about something. I felt Bexley relax a little beside me and only then did I notice I still held her hand. It was also then that I noticed how smooth her hands were and feel the slight fluttering of her pulse.

"About time you made it, pretty boy." Morgan said as he approached us and I immediately dropped Bexley's hand. "Glad to see you took my advice. It's good to see you again." He held a hand out towards Bexley and she shook it once.

Will walked over then and held out a hand to her. "Will LaMontagne. It's a pleasure to meet you and thank you for coming."

She took his hand and nodded. "Bexley and thank you."

JJ gave her a smile in greeting and then walked to the kitchen. She put out some plates, napkins, glasses of ice, and a few two liters beside the plates of food that Will was setting out.

We all quickly fixed a plate and took a place in the living room. The two boys sat close by each other and ate their hamburgers happily while the rest of us sat there talking.

"So Bexley, where are you from?" Will asked and I turned to Bexley. She bit her lip nervously and then her expression was the perfect picture of calmness.

"Nowhere I'd recommend." She offered and he laughed.

"I'd think not. I hope you're happier here in Virginia. You can meet some amazing people around every corner." He turned to JJ and kissed her cheek.

She laughed and turned to Bexley. "He'd like to think he's quite the charmer." The rest of us laughed then and I was grateful to see another real smile spread across her face.

"Do you have any family here?" Hotch asked and I saw Bexley go tense everywhere. The smile fell from her face and she closed her eyes.

She opened them and gave him a very simple reply. "I don't really have a family. I have Eleanor."

"That's the equivalent of a mother, grandmother, and a good friend." Rossi offered and Bexley smiled, one of relief this time.

 _BEXLEY POV_

I nodded and looked down at my hands. "She's an amazing person." I told him and hoped nothing else would be asked.

JJ stood a few moments later and after smoothing down her skirt and smiling at Henry, she turned to everyone else.

"Everyone finished?" she asked and started grabbing the plastic plates from everyone as Will started getting the presents for Henry.

He opened them one by and got more amazed at each gift he unwrapped. I noticed how he said thank you to everyone as he carefully placed them on the ground. David had gotten him a skateboard, a baseball kit from Derek, a couple of video games from Aaron and Jack, a poster from Penelope, and a board game of Monopoly from JJ and Will.

He opened the gift from Spencer and smiled when he saw a new watch. "Thank you Uncle Spencer and Miss Bexley." He immediately put the watch on with Will's help and I turned to Spencer, who simply gave me a smile.

After cake and ice cream, Henry had fallen asleep and the rest of us had said our goodbyes to JJ and Will. Derek met us outside of the apartment shortly after.

"Would you guys like a ride?" he asked and I felt exhausted but tried not to show it. Two profilers however noticed this. "I'll take that as a yes."

I climbed in the back of his car and laid my head against the window while the men talked the whole way toward the apartment complex where we lived.

We pulled up a little while later and I got out of the car. Spencer and I walked over to the window and I smiled at Derek.

"Thank you for the ride." He nodded once and turned to Spencer.

He smiled and said "Any time. You'll have to meet Savanna some time."

I nodded and with that we walked up to our apartments. Once outside our doors, I turned to Spencer.

"Thank you." I told him.

He smiled and shrugged before saying "Thank you for going."

I returned the smile and it felt good. I'd never smiled so much in my life and I was finding it to be a pleasant change.

He put the key in his door and I went to put the key in mine before stopping. He gave me a questioning look. "Is something wrong?"

I shook my head and walked over to him and noticed how he was taller than me by about half of a foot but looked up into his warm brown eyes.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and could tell I'd taken him by surprise but his arms immediately wrapped around my waist. I rested my head between his collarbone and his shoulder, feeling the warmth from his body and found that it wasn't as strange as I thought it would be. It almost felt… natural.

"Thank you." I said again and he pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. I let my walls fall for just a moment so he could see what I was feeling. To show him that I was nervous and that I was unsure of what the hell I was doing. Then they went back up.

"For what?" he asked.

"For caring." I said and caught the smallest hint of cologne on him. I backed away from him and opened my door before looking back to him. "Good night."

He gave a quiet chuckle and gave me a crooked smile. His eyes were full of compassion and understanding. _You can trust me with your life_ was what they seemed to say. Maybe this was true… but I knew better.

"Good night." he said and I walked into my apartment, closing the door behind me.

I leaned against my door and put a hand over my heart, I could hear it hammering in my ears and sure enough my pulse was going wild. I realized in that moment that more than anything I wanted to trust him.

That would be a choice that ended in pure heartache.

 *****So sorry about the space between chapters and thank you all so much for the reviews. I hope everyone is still enjoying the story and I will be updating as soon as possible. R &R and thanks again. **


	9. Chapter 8

_SPENCER POV_

A scream woke me up in the middle of the night and I jolted up in bed. I listened for a moment and realized that they were coming from the apartment next door. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my gun before walking out of my apartment and to Bexley's.

The screams were still coming loudly and there was nothing but pure fear in them. I got down on a knee and pulled the lock pick that I kept attached to my gun at night and began working on the lock to her door. This was one of the skills I wasn't very proud of but at this point, I couldn't thank the BAU enough for marking this as a required skill.

The door came open with ease and I quietly but quickly rushed to her room. I felt relieved to find that she was alone but that relief soon vanished as I realized that much more of this and she could hurt herself. She was thrashing on the bed and already looked like she couldn't breathe.

I quickly put my gun down and grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Bexley! Bexley, wake up! It's just a dream! Wake up!" I kept repeating this as I shook her until finally her golden eyes opened and only then did I realize that she was crying.

Her eyes were blood shot and I could feel her pulse racing as my hands moved from her shoulders to her hands, inspecting for any damage there. Her eyes scanned the room; fear and danger managed occupy them at the same moment.

After a minute of thorough scanning, she pulled her hands from mine and put her face in her hands. I listened as she fought to calm her breathing and to erase the horrendous nightmare she'd had out of her mind.

She looked up at me suddenly and her eyes widened not in fear but an emotion I'd seen often up until two weeks ago, at Henry's birthday party. Pure, unadulterated anger.

"What the fuck are you doing in my apartment?" she growled and I stood up then and kept my eyes perfectly honest.

"I thought you were being assaulted, so I picked the lock so I could help you if needed." she stood up and glared at me.

Her hands clenched into fist and I couldn't help but wonder if she would try to take a hit. "You picked my lock? This is my personal space. You can't just come in here when you feel like it. I don't need your help. I can take care of myself. I'm not a little girl anymore. I can protect myself now." she stopped then and put a hand over her mouth.

Whatever anger she'd felt dissolved then and was replaced with regret. I saw her eyes gloss over then and thought for a moment over what to say.

"I'm sorry. I was worried and I suppose my FBI training kicked in. I apologize for the intrusion." I gave her a nod and turned around to leave but felt unable to move any further.

I turned back around to her and saw that she had her arms crossed and was looking down at her feet. "I have no doubts you can take care of yourself but, statistically speaking, friends are supposed to look out for each other."

She looked up then and I could see that the smile she gave wasn't forced. It was a relieved smile. Her eyes held more of a teasing look now and I knew mine showed that I was relieved.

"Statistically speaking." She gave a laugh. "You are a walking, talking book of facts, you know that?"

I shrugged and grabbed my gun off of the nightstand I'd laid it on. She raised an eyebrow and I looked from her to the gun. "I told you. I thought you needed help."

She walked over to me then and was standing close enough that I could almost feel the warmth of her body.

Her eyes locked on mine and stayed there as she said "The only person I've ever relied on to protect me, is me. I've never trusted anyone to keep me safe. I'm still not sure I do."

I offered what I hoped was a reassuring look in my eyes and concentrated on my breathing as she stared into my eyes. I felt like she was looking for something, but didn't know what. That made two of us.

"You can trust me, if you decide to. I don't think I could live with myself if I hurt you." I said and felt the impossible urge to grab the words and dispose of them before they reached her ears. Impossible.

"It's your job to keep people safe, I guess." She said, her eyes dropping back down to her feet. I moved my free hand to remover some of the long red hair from her face and she looked back up at me.

"I'm not on the clock now." I told her and let my hand linger on her cheek, feeling the softness of it.

She smiled then and leaned her face into my palm. Her eyes closed, not in sleep but in deep thought but only for a moment. She opened her eyes again and then moved her face away from my hand and I lowered my arm to my side.

"Thank you, Spencer." She said and took a step back. "Just don't pick my lock unless you really think I'm in danger."

She gave me a teasing grin and I gave her one in return. "Only if you promise not to attempt to physically injury me the next time."

She laughed lightly and ran a hand through her hair. I turned to leave again and walked out of her apartment before stopping in my tracks.

I turned around and looked at her, remembering her words from earlier. "What did you mean?" I asked and her face turned confused.

"About?" she asked and crossed her arms again, her stance going defensive.

"When you said you could protect yourself now?" I asked and she stared me down. This time I returned her look of determination and tried to also keep a trusting look. I didn't want her to feel as if she was forced to tell me something but I knew the pain of trying to keep your fears hidden. That wasn't something I wanted for her.

"I think you know, Mr. Profiler." She tried to lighten the mood with the nickname but I could see that she felt more terrified than she was letting on. Her eyes appeared calm and collected but her stance was every bit as defensive as ever.

"There are several things I don't know about you that I think I should. I know you don't want the past to ruin your future but keeping everything locked away. It surfaces eventually and the pain that comes with it is no easier than it starts off. I hope that someday you'll trust me enough to let me know you."

I held her gaze for a moment longer and then turned around to walk out the door. She walked with me to the door and turned the lock on the doorknob and, after seeing it still worked, allowed me to pass through the door. A thoughtful expression remained on her face the whole time and she stood in the doorway.

I turned to walk down my apartment when she said "Blue." I stopped and turned back around to see that she had a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry?" I said and tried to think of what she could be talking about. She smiled then and crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway.

"My favorite color is blue. Midnight blue if you want specifics." She said and closed the door, the smile never leaving her face.

I felt a smile spread across my face and stared at her door for a moment longer. A laugh pulled me back to reality and I saw one of my neighbors standing outside her door. I gave her a polite nod before going back into my apartment, placing the gun back in its rightful place, and heading to bed.

 *****Thank you all so much for the reviews and I am so sorry about the length between chapters. I will be updating as soon as I'm able to and I hope you are all still enjoying the story as much as I am writing it. R &R and thanks again. **


	10. Chapter 9

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I closed the door and let the fake smile fall from my face. I leaned against the door and slid down to the floor, pulling my knees close to me and wrapping my arms around them. It was a position I hadn't been in since I was sixteen years old. I could remember sitting on the bathroom floor, feeling afraid and more alone than ever. My father cursed me on the other side of the door, telling me things that no child should ever hear from their father, as I nursed the fresh bruises that were coming up on my ribs and face, comparing them to the now faded ones on my arms.

I remembered closing my eyes, not to drown out reality or to try to escape to another world. I wondered why my father was alive and my grandmother wasn't. She'd been gone six years by this time and I missed her as much now as I did the day she died.

I opened my eyes and brought myself to reality and put a hand over my heart, the familiar ache seemed to fill the space in my lungs. I took a deep breath and thought of the situation that had just unfolded.

I couldn't believe I'd fucked up and said something about my abuse. There was a difference in him knowing and me giving hints. I slammed my head against the door and a second thought occurred to me. I reached up and turned the latch to lock the door and then stood to put the chain on it.

I was conflicted about him worrying about me but I didn't want him breaking into my apartment again. I had told him a lie when I said he could come in if he thought I was in actual danger but only to ease his worries. In turn, my own had made themselves much more apparent in the fact that these apartments weren't difficult to break into.

I walked over to the bed where I'd been thrashing as I slept and forced myself not to go back to my dream. I knew my father's abuse would haunt me and I knew that he was looking for me now but he couldn't have tracked me so quickly from New York. That was the only comfort I had at the time but I knew it wouldn't be long before he started to get close.

I sat on my bed and debated whether or not to leave tonight and not look back but the thought of leaving Eleanor was almost too much to bear. I never thought anyone could have snuck their way into my heart and made me care for them but Eleanor had done so. I could see so much of my grandmother in her that it almost felt like she was still there sometime.

It was also this reason that I felt more compelled to leave. The thought of Eleanor getting hurt because my father had come back to seek his revenge for me leaving sent chills all over me. I knew that as much as I meant to her she would do anything she could to protect me and that was something I'd never wanted.

I didn't want to be protected. I didn't want to always have to look over my shoulder. I didn't want to live in fear of him anymore. As long as he was breathing and as long as I had the money that my grandmother left me, I was going to see him again.

It had been two weeks before I was finally able to leave that I'd found out about the bit of money that my grandmother had left me but I could only access it once I hadn't seen my father for six months. Something he knew nothing about.

I'd promised myself that I would pay Eleanor back for all her kindness as soon as I could and the only thing I could think of that would really pay her back was to keep her safe. She had no children and I knew that losing me would hurt her but I'd rather her live with not knowing where I was than being killed trying to keep my father away from me.

I looked to the box that had recently been emptied and thought about packing it up again. I didn't own much and it wouldn't take long. I wouldn't stay here until I couldn't anymore, but until I felt that I was certain it was time for me to leave. After all, if I left in the middle of the night without saying anything to anyone then they could be honest when they said they didn't know where I was.

I looked away from the box and to the floor, where I saw _Romeo & Juliet_ lying at my feet. I felt a sad smile spread across my face and leaned down to pick the book up. It was the first thing I'd actually owned and was also the very first thing that Eleanor had given me on that long ride from New York.

I would miss her desperately and that was the only reason that kept me here when I knew I should leave. My own selfish want to hold onto her a little while longer. I sat the book on my bed and looked up at the ceiling before hearing the sound of running water not far from me.

I looked to the clock on my nightstand and saw that it was almost five in the morning. I assumed that my neighbor was getting ready for work now. I looked back to the front door and after seeing it still locked, I returned my eyes to the ceiling.

He'd asked me to trust him and had told me he was one I could trust on several different occasions but I had to keep myself from laughing every time I heard this. I trusted Eleanor for the most part and it was still a mystery to me why I'd been able to. Then again, I didn't trust her fully. She knew so little about me but was one of those people who once they are in your life; you don't want them to leave.

She reminded me so much of the one person I had ever loved that I would miss her every day once I left. I'd think often of how we met and everything she did for me. I'd think of the time we'd spent together in the coffee shop and how she'd proven me wrong when I thought I'd never laugh again.

I would miss her but that wouldn't be the case for Spencer. I wasn't going to stay long enough to give myself a reason to miss him.

 *****So I hope you guys are enjoying the story still and I will be trying to update as much as possible. R &R and thank you for reading. **


	11. Chapter 10

_~BEXLEY POV~_

It was a slow day today at _The Blast_. Hardly anyone was here aside from me and Roxy, who was currently sitting on the counter and was looking through a box of CDs that had been delivered earlier.

"These are complete shit." She said and I smirked at her. She threw them in the box and hopped off of the counter. "You know what we need to do?"

I raised an eyebrow at her but she didn't seem to notice. She was nowhere near paying attention to my facial expressions.

"We should find a couple of good looking guys and go out." I stayed quiet not wanting to encourage the idea. I dropped my eyes back to the list of CDs in my hand and continued to check them off as I saw them on the shelf.

"Well?" she asked and I turned around to look at her again. Her black hair was in its usual side pony tail and she rolled her blue eyes.

"Roxy, I don't date. I'm not easy to get along with and I'm really just not a people person. Why the hell would I want to go find some guy to hang out with?"

I moved one of the CDs back to its place on the shelf and hoped she'd drop the subject. As usual, Roxy was relentless.

"It would give you something to do other than read. Besides, didn't Eleanor say you needed to make friends?"

"I have more friends now than I have in twenty-two years." However, I wasn't sure "friends" was an appropriate word for Roxy, Drew, or Nathan.

I grabbed the step ladder from behind the counter and placed it by the shelf. I cast a glance at Roxy, who appeared to be deep in thought. I walked up the small ladder and placed the _Metallica_ CD where it was supposed to be.

"Okay, forget a date. Dinner and sex are a great combination." The shock didn't mix well and I missed the fifth step. I fell backward and was bracing myself for the fall but found myself not in the least bit of pain but in a pair of strong arms.

The discomfort overshadowed any feeling of thankfulness I felt and I quickly stumbled out of the arms that I knew had almost certainly saved me from a broken bone. I turned and faced the person quickly and was met by a kind but flirtatious smile.

"I think that's the first time I've ever had a pretty lady rush to get away from me." Derek Morgan to the rescue. I didn't know what it was about the FBI that kept these people in the "right place at the right time" but this time, I was grateful.

"Easy on the ego. You're not that irresistible." I said with a teasing smile and picked the clipboard up from where I'd dropped it.

"Are you ok?" Roxy came over and stopped in her tracks when she saw Derek. "Well hello."

I rolled my eyes but smiled regardless. Roxy was always on the lookout for any good looking guy with a pretty smile. "I'm fine." she turned her head back to me and with her eyes gestured to Derek.

"Roxy, Derek. Derek, Roxy." I said and he turned to give her what I could only guess was what Penelope called one of his "heart stopping" smiles.

"Nice to meet you." He said and extended his hand. I walked off leaving the two of them to talk and flirt as much as they wanted.

I lifted my wrist to brush the hair out of my face and saw the nearly faded line on my forearm. I lifted my other hand and gently brushed my fingers across the wound, feeling the slightest twinge of pain as I did so.

My father's hunting knife had been his most prized possession next to his alcohol and he'd more than once ran it across my arm. Always the same area: never close enough to any main arteries. He'd hidden every other knife in the house out of fear that I'd kill myself before he got the chance to do it himself or before I was no longer of use to him.

I'd thought about it only once but realized that doing so would mean he won despite the fact that he no longer had someone to take his anger out on, pay for his disappointments, or keep the small shack he called a home clean.

I looked up from my scar and refused to be pulled back into one of my memories but felt my heart stop as I looked up. A pair of golden eyes met my own and a cruel smile played across the dark headed man's lips. He held a small black case and from it, pulled a large knife just enough for the sun to light to reflect off of the blade.

"Bexley! Are you freaking listening?" Roxy's voice called, loud and clear, beside me and I blinked once. The man with the cold smile disappeared and after a quick scan of the area I turned back to Roxy.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" I asked, hoping sincerity was in my voice instead of fear. She had her hands on her hips and her blue eyes looked over my shoulder and an expression of concern spread across her normally teasing features.

"You ok?" I nodded once before looking back to the space where I thought I'd seen him. "Go home. I'll call Nathan. It's not like he has a life."

"I'll walk you home. I'm heading that way anyway." Derek said and looked back to Roxy. "It was nice meeting you."

She said something similar to that but I stopped listening and walked out of the store. I took one last look to be sure he wasn't there again, took a deep breath, and began the walk home.

I wish I knew his goal was to kill me. I wish I knew that I could make him angry enough to do so. That wasn't reality though. The reality was that he'd never be able to use a cent of the money my grandmother had left me. The only way that could happen would be if I lived with him again and paid for what he wanted. His goal was to drag me back to hell with him until the money ran out. After that… I'd no longer be a problem for him.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

I was deep into my seventh book of the day when a knock sounded at my door. I put down the book and was surprised to open the door and see Morgan. "Please don't tell me we have a case."

Derek didn't even try to hide his amusement as he laughed. "No, we're all going out tonight and I came by to tell you that Garcia said you have no choice."

I raised an eyebrow but smiled regardless. "What time?"

"Right now, so get your little ass ready and come on." Something caught his attention and he gave a grin. "You're invited too, beautiful. According to Roxy, you could use a little fun."

"I'll pass." Bexley's voice called. Morgan backed up and I walked out of my apartment, not caring that I was in my pajamas.

Her golden eyes looked haunted and she looked terrified. I hadn't seen this look in three weeks, since the night I woke her from her nightmare. I don't know what came over me, but before I could even think about what I was about ask, it came out. "I wish you would. I'm terrible at social gatherings and would love to have someone to talk to. If you don't have plans with Eleanor."

She smiled but it wasn't a real one and I felt the knot coil in my stomach at the rejection I knew was coming. She looked back into her apartment and stood there for a moment.

"Give me about five minutes." I told Morgan and walked inside my apartment to change. I grabbed a white button down, a pair of black slacks, and a black sweater vest with a matching tie. I slipped on a blue and black striped sock along with an orange with green dots all over it.

I slipped on my shoes and was unsurprised to see Morgan with a teasing look on his face. However, the surprise was that it wasn't directed at me. I walked out and saw what he was staring at.

Anything that I might have thought about saying escaped me as I watched Bexley lock her door and turn to look at us. Her dark red hair hung in loose curls all the way down to the middle of her back and I saw the lightest touches of makeup on her face. She wore a white dress that reached her knees and tied at the back of her neck. She dropped the key in her combat boots that reached the middle of her calf. The boots seemed to balance out her outer beauty with a touch of who she was.

"Eleanor gave me the dress a few weeks ago and the boots… well." She gave a small humorless laugh and untucked her hair from behind her ear, a sign that she was embarrassed along with the way she was looking at her feet.

"You look beautiful." She looked up from her feet and a surprised expression crossed her face. I resisted the urge to bite my lip.

"Well alright. Let's go before Garcia starts calling, or worse, comes after us." I had never been so grateful for one of Morgan's jokes.

Bexley walked ahead of us down the stairs and Morgan flashed me a grin. I arched an eyebrow and wondered what caused him to have that expression across his face.

"Beautiful huh?" he said and I grabbed the key from my door before walking down the stairs after Bexley, Morgan following with a teasing laugh.

 *****Well that's it for this chapter. Sorry again about the long wait between chapters but I'm definitely still writing. Anyway, R &R and have a great day. **


	12. Chapter 11

_~BEXLEY POV~_

As we sat in the small bar, I couldn't help but laugh as Derek danced with Penelope. He'd tried to convince her for at least five minutes and when she'd finally said yes, they hadn't even started really dancing before she was stepping on his toes. Eleanor seemed to finally be relaxing as she talked with David and Aaron about their jobs. She'd been a little uneasy when I'd first asked her to join us but had agreed nonetheless. I was glad to see that she wasn't miserable after all.

JJ, Will, and Spencer were able to share a laugh as they discussed how Henry, who was on a play date with Jack and Aaron's sister-in-law, had taken on the trend of his godfather by refusing to wear matching socks.

"How is work going, sweetie?" Eleanor's sweet tone caused me to smile. She never wanted anyone to feel left out on anything.

I'd tried convincing her a few times that I would rather just listen and stay out of the conversations, but she'd quickly reminded me that you can't get to know someone if you don't try. Getting to know the members of the BAU wasn't something I really wanted to do considering I would have to leave, but I'd agreed with her nonetheless.

"It's going fine. Nothing exciting." Unless you count falling off of a ladder.

A slow song came on, which I hadn't been expecting from a bar, and then I saw Will extend a hand to JJ. She smiled and after she took his hand, he led her to the dance floor. I saw Eleanor's smile grow bigger as she stared at the couple.

"There's someone out there for everyone." She said longingly and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. From what she'd told me all she'd ever wanted was a marriage and children. She'd told me she'd come close once but the man died in the war and she never looked again.

This was another reason I was waiting so long to leave Quantico. She'd told me on several occasions that she thought of me as family and that, before I'd come along, she'd been very lonely and that she was grateful to have someone to look after.

"Bexley, do you like to dance?" She asked me and I gave a light laugh but could feel a small blush covering my cheeks.

"I wouldn't know. I've never tried. It seems kind of silly and I'm already pretty clumsy." I hoped she would let it go, but judging from the look in her eyes, I could tell she wasn't about to.

She and Rossi exchanged a look and a nod. He turned to look at someone and I felt my stomach do a back flip. "Well then you should experience it at least once. My old bones can't hold up to it tonight but you kids go and have fun."

I turned around then to see Spencer raise an eyebrow at him. I hoped that it went straight over his head what Rossi was implying. Aaron gave the smallest hint of teasing away in his eyes as he looked at Spencer. "What do you think, Reid?"

Realization then dawned on him and I looked down at the glass of coke in front of me. I bit my lip nervously and desperately wished I'd have been brave enough to stay home tonight. I took a deep breath and looked back up at Spencer.

He stood from his chair and held his hand out. "Will you dance with me?" he asked and I felt my heart leap up into my throat. Instead of trying to talk, I simply took his hand and let him lead me to a corner of the dance floor.

He grabbed one of my hands and gently rested it on his shoulder and placed one of his hands on my lower back. He let the fingers of our free hands interlace and I felt the oddest feeling of being… safe.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

I figured we'd be safer to simply sway back and forth on the dance floor instead of worrying about stepping on each other's feet. I had never been one for dancing and I never planned on needing to learn, especially for something like this. I thought back to the dreams of dancing with Maeve in the library and noticed how dancing with Bexley now wasn't so different.

I looked into her warm golden eyes and saw that she no longer looked guarded. She was no longer scanning for any signs of danger but was simply staring into my own brown eyes and I couldn't help but wonder what she saw or what she was looking for.

I let my hand fall from hers but only to place it on my other hand at her back. She surprisingly lifted her hand to around my neck and placed her head on my chest. I rested my cheek on top of her head and could smell the smallest hint of vanilla shampoo in her long red hair.

I realized then that we'd stopped dancing and we were simply embracing in the bar. I wondered where her mind had gone off to and what had changed to make her seem almost vulnerable. I heard someone clear their throat and looked to see Garcia smiling sweetly and Morgan with a similar teasing grin.

I immediately felt her arms drop from around my neck and I placed my hands in my pockets. When I looked back to her, I could see that her walls were back up despite the teasing grin that she shot Morgan and Garcia.

"Did he finally give you a break?" Bexley asked and Garcia laughed.

"After about the thirty-seventh time I stepped on his toe, he was convinced." The girls laughed and Morgan rolled his eyes.

"I figured it would be polite to give you a break. We may have stopped earlier, but I figured you were having fun stepping on my toes." We all laughed at this and made our way back to our table.

Rossi smiled and looked to Bexley. "Did you have fun?"

She took her seat beside Eleanor and laughed. "No toes were stepped on for either of us, so I guess you could say that."

JJ and Will walked back over a minute later and took their seats back. "I'm glad you decided to come with us tonight." JJ said with a smile.

"I am too." Bexley said before taking a sip of her coke. I felt a smile spread across my face as I watched her.

"She's the only person I know who pretty boy would dance with in a public place." The group laughed and Penelope very calmly elbowed Morgan.

"Pretty boy, huh?" I bit my lip and looked down.

"It's an old nickname." A couple of laughs broke out at the table and I couldn't help but join in.

It wasn't long after that before Hotch stood up and looked at the time. "We'd all better head back and get some rest. Duty calls early in the morning." A groan broke out at the table and I heard Hotch chuckle as he left.

With a goodbye, we parted ways. Bexley, Morgan, and I made our way to his car in the parking lot quietly. The only sound that could be heard as we made our way back to mine and Bexley's apartments was the music coming from Morgan's radio.

"Thanks for the ride, Derek." She said and he gave her a smile.

"Anytime, beautiful. See you in the morning, pretty boy." I got out of the car and made my way just around the driver's side to her when I heard the window roll down. "Try not to stay up too late."

I felt my heart pick up and almost tripped over one of the steps. I quickly caught my balance and looked back to see him laughing as he rolled up his window.

"Are you okay?" I turned back around to see Bexley smiling.

I nodded and quickly added, "I'm fine." I ran my fingers through my hair and laughed as I considered reprogramming Morgan's iPod again. I'd have to think of something different than me screaming again.

We made our way up the stairs and she turned to me suddenly. "I had a great time tonight. Thank you for asking me to go with you."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a great time spending time with you. We should do this again sometime."

She smiled and looked down as she said, "I'd like that."

We arrived at our doors and I turned to tell her goodnight when I thought back to Maeve. After almost three years, I still thought of her every day.

As I looked at Bexley, I thought of how I'd waited so long to take the chance of seeing Maeve that I never got the chance to hold her. I promised myself that I wouldn't make that mistake twice and as I weighed my options of what I was about to say very carefully.

"Bexley." She looked away from her door and back to me with a smile as she waited for me to continue. "Would you like to have dinner with me some time?"

Her golden eyes widened in shock before going ever so calm as she seemed to think of what to say next. I waited patiently for her answer and she looked down at her toes. She laughed then and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?" I asked and she looked up from her feet, a smile on her face. Her golden eyes held uncertainty and humor in them, her walls ever present.

"I swear I'm not laughing at you. You'll just have to forgive me if I act awkward. Most girls go on their very first dates as teenagers." She let out a soft laugh and this time I laughed with her.

I was surprised to find her less experienced than I was in the dating field, but this was one question of curiosity that I'd rather ignore.

"Goodnight, Spencer." She said as she opened her door.

"Goodnight." I told her and walked inside my apartment. Hell was going to be paid tomorrow because I knew that I wouldn't be able to do anything but think of how to plan a first date.

 *****Well, there it is. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. R &R and have a great day. **


	13. Chapter 12

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I placed my hands on my head as I tried to soothe the headache that was forming. It had been a slow day at the shop today and this meant that I had time to think. It had been two weeks since I had gone to the bar with the B.A.U and Eleanor. Two weeks since I'd danced with Spencer. Two weeks since he'd asked me out. Two weeks that I hadn't talked to him due to the fact that we were both busy working. If I was honest with myself though, I was avoiding him at every possible chance.

When he'd first asked me out I'd been nervous and had said yes. That same night, reality came crashing and I realized that saying yes was almost cruel. I still had every intention of leaving and I wished now that I'd told him no.

It seemed cruel to agree to a date and then avoid him but it was even crueler to agree and follow through. I knew that he cared about me and if I let it, it would turn into more than a friendship. Every time I looked into his warm brown eyes I could see that his care for me was getting deeper. I could feel it in my heart that I was beginning to care for him.

I was getting too close for comfort and if I could get past my own selfishness, I would leave tonight. The thought of leaving him and Eleanor made me feel guilty for ever allowing myself to get close to them.

"Hi, I have a question?" I heard a voice say and looked up to see none other than Penelope Garcia standing in front of me.

I stood from the chair I was in and smoothed my shirt out and walked over to the classic section of the store and began to organize the CDs that had been delivered this morning.

"About what?" I asked, hoping that Spencer had kept the fact that I'd been ignoring him to himself.

"Has Reid said anything to you about something bothering him?" She asked and began looking through some of the CDs on the shelf. I bit my lip and shook my head but didn't say anything as I continued to stock the shelf.

"I'm no profiler but I'd like to think I'm people smart. Something's definitely bothering him." she said and I felt even worse than I had five minutes ago.

"We've both been really busy so I haven't seen him much." I told her and looked down at the CD I was holding. It was one of our several copies of Sergei Diaghilev and one that I hadn't gotten around to listening to quite yet.

I looked up at her and saw that she had an unbelieving look in her eyes but didn't say anything else. I quickly turned my attention back to the shelf and CDs before and decided to change the subject. "Are they on a case right now?"

"No, they are actually heading home. That's why I'm here. I needed some music and figured I'd get everyone a little welcome home present. I also figured I'd come by and tell you hi considering I haven't seen you in a while."

I felt a smile pull at my lips and turned back around to look at her. "I'm glad you did. You're actually one of the members of the group I can talk to with ease."

She smiled and I grabbed the empty box and walked over to shove it behind the counter. She was one of the few that made me feel comfortable in the fact that she was just… her. She was easy to talk to and her sense of humor and fashion made her seem a little more approachable.

I assumed that it was the fact that she didn't work in the field and there for had kept a more lively side to her. While the rest of their members had a sense of humor and had made me laugh on more than one occasion, Penelope hadn't been as tainted by the work that they all did.

Eleanor had told me about some of the cases that they'd been on, how each of them had lost someone dear to them time and time again, and that they constantly tried to not let their work affect their normal lives. That the cases were not spoken of outside of work but she had joked about seeing their profiling skills once or twice when they had gone to the movies.

"I'm glad to hear that because I was hoping to ask you about something." I felt my heart drop and took a deep breath to keep the emotions away from my face.

I turned back around and looked at her placing a smile on my face. "Ask away."

"I wanted to talk to you about the four of us having a girl's night." she said and I let the confusion show clearly on my face.

"I'm sorry, a what?" I asked and hey eyes widened in shock.

"You've never had a girl's night out?" I felt the urge to laugh at both her shock and her over reaction to this.

I shrugged and said, "I didn't have a lot of friends growing up." In truth I didn't have any. I had never made any friends and by the time I'd been forced to drop out my freshman year, I'd gotten used to being alone. As a child, I had made it up in my mind that if I didn't get close to anyone, no one would ask about the bruises, the constant absences, or the reason why I didn't do anything after school.

"Well then it's official. You, me, JJ, and Eleanor are going to go to a movie, have dinner, and just goof off."

I bit my lip and looked away, trying to think of an excuse to say no. I had never had a hard time getting people to leave me alone which meant that leaving was simple. It seemed that since I'd come to Quantico, I was constantly around people who hated the thought of me being alone

"Penelope, I-" I looked up to see someone walking in the store and relief filled every part of my body. "will get back to you on that as soon as possible. Can I help you?"

I didn't wait for Garcia's answer but walked over to the woman. Her long brown hair fell just past her shoulders and her green eyes showed the slightest hint of mischief. Her black tank top was accented by a black leather jacket and skinny jeans, with a pair of black heels to top off the look.

"I hope so. My significant other loves classical music and I figured I would meet him halfway. What can you suggest for a classic/ pop blend?" I raised an eyebrow and began to wonder if such a tape existed. I walked over to our mixed shelf and she followed.

"This is basically a blend of everything in the store." I pointed to a CD that was under the label classical pop and turned back to her. "What you are looking for should be under here."

She nodded her head, placed her hand over her eyes, and grabbed a CD. "Ring this one up on the cash register so I can't change my mind."

She didn't uncover her eyes until I finished typing out the price of the CD. I handed her the CD at the same time she handed me the cash and she smirked as she looked at the odd blue, gray, and purple cover.

"Damn, I'm in for a long night." she said and I smiled as I handed her back her change. "Keep it."

 _~SPENCER POV~_

I had just put the bag and case files on the table when a knock sounded at my door. I walked over and was surprised to see Bexley. Her red hair was falling out of its pony tail and from her bright blue button down and black slacks, I could tell she'd just gotten home as well.

"Hey." She said and I nodded a hello to her. She took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. "I ran into Penelope today and thought I'd stop by for a minute."

I realized then that we were still standing in my doorway and despite the fact that she'd been avoiding me, I moved to the side. "Would you like to come in?"

She looked unsure but walked in anyway. I closed the door and when I turned around, she was already looking at the books that covered my wall. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as she looked at them.

"This is beautiful." she said and I couldn't help but laugh as I saw the book she was referring to. It was a hardback copy of _Romeo and Juliet_ , a book I had come to know as her favorite.

"I never would have taken you for a Shakespeare fan. I hope you don't find this too offensive but, I can't really see you as a book lover." I crossed my arms and she looked lost in a far off memory.

"My grandmother took me to the library all the time as a kid and we'd read for hours until I had to come home. I didn't have a lot of friends growing up, so I spent most of my breaks and lunch period in the school's library. I didn't get to do a lot of reading after freshmen year." she held up a hand and lightly brushed her fingers against the spine of the book. "This was her favorite book."

I watched as her eyes glossed over for a minute before she dropped her hand and crossed her arms. "What happened after your freshmen year?"

"She died and I was pulled out of school due to… home complications." I saw her walls fall down almost completely as a single tear fell and any kind of irritation or anger I'd had with her these past few weeks faded away.

"Bexley…" I said and she opened her eyes to look at me. I felt words on the edge of my tongue but instead grabbed the book off the shelf. "Your copy is getting pretty worn out and I haven't bothered with this book for over a year. I have actually wanted to get rid of it."

She raised an eyebrow at me and looked down to the book. "Spencer, I really don't do well with sympathy." Her eyes held the slightest irritation but her voice was calm and barely higher than a whisper.

"Call it a gesture between friends. Or an apology for the past few weeks." She laughed then and ran a hand through her hair, which caused the rest of the pony tail to come undone.

"I actually came by to talk to you about that." she said and she looked back down at the floor.

I held the book out to her to take again. "Don't apologize. Please, just take the book and we'll start over."

She held out her hands and I placed the book in them, the moment I did her arms crossed over it and she took a deep breath. "I can't tell you what this means to me."

I shrugged and yawned, the day's work finally catching up with me. She walked over to the door before turning back to me, an almost guilty expression in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked and took a seat on the couch in the middle of the room.

She turned back to me and seemed to be debating over what to say before she seemed to the conclusion to just say it. "I don't like to get close to people. When I do… something always happens. I don't want to lose more than I have to."

She stared at me with uncertainty in her eyes and I could tell that she was telling me more now than she'd told anyone. As much as I wanted to know what she meant by losing people to something that always happens, this was what I'd been waiting for. For her to open up to me and I wasn't about to mess that up.

"Then I'll make you a promise." I told her and waited till she met my eyes, I could see fear and uncertainty in her eyes. For the first time since I'd met her, her walls were completely down and I could see everything she was feeling. "No matter what happens, you're not going to lose me."

She let out a small, humorless laugh and clutched the book even closer to her. "We'll see." She said and walked out, closing the door behind her.

 *****Well there you have it. I hope you guys are still with me and still enjoying. R &R and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading. **


	14. Chapter 13

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I sat up in bed the next morning and rolled over to look at the time on the small alarm clock on my nightstand and brushed the hair out of my face. I listened closely for a minute and heard Spencer moving around in his apartment. I smiled and jumped out of bed before walking out of my apartment and going right to his door.

I'd thought about our last conversation a lot and had decided that even if I was leaving, if I was going to start a new life I was going to have stop being so afraid of people. I took a deep breath and knocked on his door and waited for him to answer.

"Good morning." he said when he opened the door and I laughed lightly at the enormous cup of coffee in his hands. His hair was everywhere and he was still in his blue striped pajama's. I was wearing a pair of my sweat pants and a tank top but was thankful that I'd put my hair up in a bun last night while it was still wet, so it looked halfway decent.

"Good morning. Are you off today by some chance?" I asked and put my hands behind my back. He nodded and took a sip of his coffee as I continued. "Great, because I've been doing a lot of thinking and I decided that maybe it wouldn't be so horrible to get to know you a little better."

He chuckled lightly at the news and I felt a little nervous as his eyes strayed to my collarbone. I knew exactly what he saw but I refused to acknowledge it because I knew that my memories would come flooding back to me, like they always did.

I cleared my throat and his brown eyes met my golden ones and I waited for him to answer. He took a moment before he placed his coffee on the table that was closest to the door. "What did you have in mind?" he asked.

"How about a walk around the town? I haven't really seen anything else exciting around here except for the bars and I'm not a huge fan of alcohol." I said and I hoped he wouldn't ask me to elaborate on that last statement.

He nodded and said "Sounds great. We can walk to one of the diner that's 6.3 miles from here and if we head out now, we'll get there around two. I'm buying." He said and I smiled at the fact that he knew exactly how far it was from our apartments and the time we'd arrive at the place.

"You've been way too nice to me. I'd feel bad letting you pay for my food too." I said and he shrugged it off.

"Isn't it traditional for the man to pay?" he asked and I could tell he was trying to act like it was nothing but the way his eyes lightened betrayed him.

I put crossed my arms over my chest and gave him what I hoped was a light teasing smile. "I've heard they do that on dates. Is that what this is? Because if I remember correctly, you still owe me one."

He blushed lightly and ran a hand through his hair. "Do you want it to be?"

I thought for a minute and despite the nervousness I felt, I decided to cover it up with a joke. "Well, I guess it's about time I had my first date. Why not? I'll be ready in about fifteen minutes."

I walked into my apartment before I heard his reply and let the smile drop from my face and my hand immediately reached up to cover the long scar on my collarbone. I could still feel the shattered glass from the beer bottle that was no longer there. I walked into my bathroom and looked into my mirror and saw the scar on my collarbone, the several tiny scars that were on my shoulder, and I knew that beneath my tank top were several ragged scars from his nails in my stomach.

I could find many more scars if I wanted to but I saw no need to look any further than what Spencer would see. I took the bit of foundation I had and began to put it on my scars. I never wore make up anywhere else but I would always cover my scars if I went outside of my apartment.

I grabbed my yellow t-shirt and slipped on a pair of white jeans before slipping into my boots. I grabbed my perfume and deodorant and applied them both before brushing my long hair out. I was so glad to see it falling at my waist. It was something that was truly mine. I'd kept it short for so many years because my father wasn't against using my hair against me and I had always wanted it long.

My grandmother had loved my long hair when I was a little girl and it had hurt her every time I cut it but she never said anything. She knew the reasons behind it and she was another reason I would never willingly have my hair cut again.

I walked out the door and met Spencer in the hallway. "The color brings out your eyes." he said as he pulled his apartment shut and locked the door. A blush colored my cheeks and I looked at what he was wearing and noticed that for the first time since I'd known him, he was wearing jeans, a sweater, and his usual converse.

"I don't think I've ever seen you look so casual." He smiled at the comment and I turned around and locked my door. I turned back to face him and told the small voice in the back of my mind to quiet down.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

A few hours later we were in one of the small parks in Quantico and I couldn't but watch Bexley as she took in the greatest detail of the smallest things. We'd been on our way to the diner when she saw the park and we'd agreed that it was too nice of a day to pass up. We were sitting on the park bench, drinking our coffee while a few kids played in the park with their parents. I couldn't help but notice how close she was or how she seemed completely at ease around me today.

Her bright gold eyes met mine before she quickly looked down and placed her coffee cup on the ground beside her foot. "So tell me something about you."

I raised an eyebrow at her before and took a drink of my coffee. "What do you want to know?" I asked and placed my coffee down on the ground.

"Whatever you feel comfortable telling me, I guess." She said and relaxed into the bench, crossing her legs and placing her hands in her lap.

I thought about something I could tell her and then remembered what she'd told me at one time. "My favorite color is orange. Sunset orange if you want specifics."

She laughed lightly and looked down at her hands in her lap. "I can't believe you remember that."

"How could I not? You were screaming and threatened to kick my ass if I broke into your apartment again only to tell me that I could do so under extreme circumstances and then told me your favorite color is midnight blue." I told her and let a smile spread across my face.

She smiled lightly but I could see a far off memory in her eyes. "I'm not someone that's worth remembering little details for."

Her eyes dropped to her feet and I slowly placed one of my hands on top of hers that rested on her knee. She looked back at me and studied my eyes but didn't move away. "That's up to me and you are definitely someone I wouldn't want to forget."

I hoped and prayed that I never would forget her. Despite the risk of Alzheimer's and the possibility that I may not remember anything, I hoped that I'd remember her if nothing else. Her unique combination of red hair and golden eyes, her smile, her laugh, and her love of _Romeo and Juliet_.

A drop of water caused us to break apart and I had failed to notice that gray clouds had formed. We picked up our coffee cups and threw them away before quickly making a dash for our apartments. As the rain began to fall, I noticed Bexley laughing and smiling the whole time. She seemed to be enjoying the rain and not being in the least bit of a hurry to get out of it. In fact, I'm 96% certain that if the probability of sickness wasn't there, she'd have talked me into staying in the park.

By the time we made it back to our apartment complex, the rain was pouring and covering the sidewalks. I pushed my hair out of my face and turned to see her shivering slightly but smiling all the same.

"Do you want to change and then come over and watch a movie? Your pick." I said and she smiled. Before she could answer, I heard my phone signal that a text message had been sent.

I looked down and felt the smile fall from my face. A message from JJ clearly read that we had a case. I turned the screen off of my phone and looked back up at her.

"I might take you up on that offer when you get back." she said and pulled out the keys to her apartment door. She unlocked the door and threw the keys in her apartment before turning back to me.

"Sounds perfect." I said and unlocked the door to my apartment and headed inside. I changed into my sweater vest, button down, suit pants, and converse before grabbing my keys and locking the door behind me.

I hadn't taken the keys out of the door when I felt a small hand being placed on my arm. I turned to Bexley's small profile, she was still soaked from the rain.

"What's wrong?" I asked and I could hear the concern in my voice before I'd thought twice about it. She had told me that she wasn't one for sympathy and it was obvious that she didn't know how to act around people who cared about her, but she seemed like she didn't notice this time.

She looked up at me and I could see fear written in her eyes but not the fear I saw so many times in my line of work. This was fear, nervousness, and uncertainty that she was letting me see. She hesitantly slid her hand from my arm to the hair at the base of my neck, while she placed her hand on my shoulder.

I could see that she was terrified and I felt my heartrate pick up a bit. I placed my hands on her waist, never once taking my eyes off of hers and leaned down to her height. I could feel her breath on my lips and could nearly taste the sweet coffee on her lips, and I waited for her to close the distance between us.

She closed her eyes tightly and dropped her hands from my hair and shoulder to my chest, pushing slightly to put more distance between us. I stood up straight again and she looked down in defeat, embarrassed at her own actions.

"Good luck on your case." She said and crossed her arms over her chest. Her voice didn't bother to hide the irritation she felt.

I placed my hands on either side of her shoulders and waited for her to look up at me. When she did I saw anger, hurt, frustration, and uncertainty much like the storm outside in her eyes. "I'm in no hurry." I told her and she forced a smile but I could see the frustration fade from her eyes, at least.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead, inhaling the smell of her hair before heading down the stairs to my car.

 *****Hey everyone! I just wanted to give a quick thank you to all the reviews, favorites, and follows. They are great and have constantly brightened my day. I hope you all are still enjoying the story and I plan to be updating more often soon. R &R and thanks again! **


	15. Chapter 14

_~SPENCER POV~_

The team and I had just made it back from Louisiana and were relaxing in the office while Jack and Henry ran around. Hotch's sister-in-law had brought them by for a visit because they couldn't wait to see their parents and we still had to file our individual case reports.

The case in Louisiana had taken a turn for the worse when the UNSUB decided his only way out was suicide. The young girl that had been kidnapped was returned to her family along with a few other kids.

"Welcome back, my lovelies." Garcia said as she walked over into the room and took a seat in one of the chairs close to JJ.

"It's good to be home." Rossi said as he watched Henry and Jack play their board game. JJ and Hotch had similar smiles on their face as they watched their children play. Hotch had always said that he wanted to keep work and home separate but it hadn't been that easy since Haley's death.

Henry jumped up and ran over to someone entering the room. Morgan laughed and got up to greet them.

"Hello, beautiful lady." He said and Eleanor laughed as she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

"I'm old enough to be your grandmother, Derek." He joined in on the laugh and hugged her gently but tightly at the same time.

Rossi grinned and said "Women are like wine, they get better with age." She smiled at him and pushed a strand of long gray hair that fell from her face behind her ear.

"You are a good friend, Dave Rossi." She said and turned her attention to Henry who was looking down the hallway.

"Henry, who are you looking for?" JJ asked and he walked back over to her.

He hugged her and sat back down to the board game with Jack, who was smiling at him. "I thought I saw someone momma."

Eleanor smiled kindly and said "Is it someone I know?"

He answered only with a smile before looking back down at the board game. Jack looked up at Hotch and smiled at him.

"I know who it is." he said and Hotch raised an eyebrow. Eleanor smiled even brighter and took a seat on the floor beside the two boys.

When Garcia got up to give her a chair, she raised a hand and a nod of appreciation but watched the two boys continue to play.

"I think I know who it is too. Is this person a she?" Henry nodded and spun the dial to see where to move his piece. _Chutes and Ladders_ was the name of the game, I hadn't quite gotten around to teaching him how to play chess yet. He'd seen me playing a few times and had wanted to learn how to play as well.

"Does she have long red hair?" Henry nodded and I felt the smile spread across my face. I covered it by taking a sip of my coffee.

"Are we talking about pretty boy's girlfriend?" I coughed as I choked on my coffee at Morgan's comment.

I finally got control of the coughing and glared at Morgan, who simply grinned at my reaction. "She's not my girlfriend and don't you think this is a little childish?"

JJ smiled and shrugged. "I don't know, Spence. You two seem to be getting awfully close."

"You're spending a lot of time together." Rossi said and grinned at me, a knowing look in his eyes.

I crossed my leg and placed my coffee on the desk. "We've had one date. I hardly think that makes her my girlfriend."

"When did this date happen?" JJ asked, a light teasing note in her voice.

I looked down at my black and gray striped sock and said "Right before you called about the case." I bit my lip and thought back to the almost kiss and the smell of her hair.

"This job is good about interrupting those personal times." Garcia said and rolled her eyes.

"Or what could be intimate times." He grinned and JJ shot him a disapproving look.

Eleanor's smile fell from her face and she stood from the floor. "I meant no disrespect." Derek said and she put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's nothing you did, dearie. Spencer, if you could, I'd appreciate you checking in on her this evening." She gave Morgan a quick hug and began to walk out of the office when Rossi cleared his throat.

She turned around and smiled as she waited for him to speak. "I was thinking about having another dinner at home and was wondering if all of you would like to join me?"

"Dave, that sounds perfect." Hotch said and Jack stood up from the board game and walked over to him.

"When would you like us to meet you?" JJ asked and Rossi grinned at her.

"Tonight at 7:30. Why waste the present?" he said casually and Eleanor smiled again. She nodded and walked out the door.

He looked to me after she walked out and said "Bring your girl. It seems like she'll be spending more time around us anyway. Plus, it'll be nice to see her again. Eleanor mentioned something about Bexley promising to go with her to my next dinner anyway. It's not like she can say no."

I ran a hand through my hair and nodded before dismissing myself from the group. I smiled at the thought of seeing her again. I wondered if this dinner would be considered a second date or not. I suppose that would be her decision.

"Hey, boy genius." I heard Penelope's voice not far behind me and turned around. She had a look on her face that gave away that this wouldn't be an easy conversation.

I smiled regardless and relaxed my expression. "What's on your mind?"

She looked down at her feet nervously and took a deep breath before looking back up at me. "I was thinking about something the other day and I went to talk to her while you guys were coming home from a case. She just doesn't let on a lot about herself and I'm worried that she's hiding something really big and I don't want to see you hurt again. I guess what I'm trying to get at is: are you sure she's safe?"

I raised an eyebrow at her but couldn't help but understand why she'd be worried. My love life wasn't exactly the best story and almost everyone at the B.A.U had their share of encounters. Garcia and I had both gone on dates that had tried to kill us in the end. I'd lost Maeve because of a crazed stalker and hadn't been able to save her. This was something that I knew would haunt me the rest of my life.

I was pulled back to the present by Garcia fidgeting with the ends of her nails and gave her the best answer I could possibly think of. "I'm not really sure. I guess I'll have to find that out for myself." I smiled at her once more before heading off to my apartment.

I walked up the stairs toward Bexley's apartment and was surprised to find the door wide open. I looked inside and saw her sitting on her floor reading _Romeo & Juliet_ in a tank top and shorts.

She looked up in her doorway and smiled. She nodded for me to come in and I walked over, taking a seat in the floor next to her. I smiled brighter seeing the copy was the one I'd given her not long ago.

I looked over her and saw several faded scars down her arms, her legs, her feet, and the one's on her collarbone. She closed the book and sat it carefully to the side before looking at me, her bright golden eyes studying me.

Her hand lifted to the place on her collarbone again and her cheeks turned the lightest color of pink. I put my hand on hers and she dropped her eyes to the floor, embarrassment clear in her eyes.

"Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you." I said and she looked up at me, her eyes full showing less embarrassment than before. "It's not entirely known where the phrase came from but its meaning is timeless."

She looked down at her body and a small, sad smile framed her face. "Did you have something you wanted to tell me?" She asked softly.

I nodded once before leaning back and giving her a little personal space. "We're all having dinner at Rossi's again tonight. Would you like to come with me?"

"Two dates in five days? That doesn't sound very normal." She answered, laughing lightly.

"Is that a yes?" I asked and leaned back on my hands.

She looked deep in thought for a moment and I couldn't help but feel worried that she was going to say no. She placed her small hand on top of mine and her posture relaxed a little bit.

"I did promise Eleanor I'd come to the next dinner Dave threw." She finally said, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

I stood from the floor and helped her up, her soft hands fitting perfectly into my own. My heart raced lightly at the spark that moment of intimacy caused, no matter how brief. She quickly changed into a pair of jeans and slipped into a pair of white sandals, grabbing her key off of the small counter in the kitchen. As she locked the door and stuffed her hands in the pocket of her jeans, I couldn't help but wonder if she'd felt the same spark I had.

 *****Well there we go. I hope you are all still enjoying the story and please R &R to let me know what you think. I am trying to write more often so hopefully you will get an update soon. Have a great day everyone! **


	16. Chapter 15

_~BEXLEY POV~_

We walked through the door of David's home and saw the rest of the group sitting at the bar in the kitchen. I smiled when I caught Eleanor's sweet smile. David sat down a plate in front of her and she gestured to the seat beside her for me.

"It's good to see you, dear." She stood from her chair and embraced me. I returned the hug, enjoying the normal touch.

"It's good to see you too." I said and I couldn't help but be surprised at how normal it felt to hug her and I thought back to how she was the first one to ever touch me without pain following shortly after.

My father would hug me if a woman came over that he wanted to impress but after they'd slept together, she'd leave and I would have more bruises by next morning. I shook my head and tried to clear the memories that I knew would be at the back of my mind for a while.

Memories and my plans of leaving Quantico never strayed far from my mind. Looking at Eleanor and now Spencer, I couldn't help but want to be selfish and stay but I wouldn't put them in danger.

I'd seen first-hand what my father could do and I wouldn't put them through something like that. People that were truly close to me were erased from my life completely and I didn't want to think of a world without them in it. I looked at the rest of the B.A.U. team and as I saw their warm smiles I wouldn't risk their safety any more than it was risked every day of their lives.

"Here you go. I hope you enjoy it." Dave had a smile on his face as he placed a pasta dish in front of me.

"It looks amazing. What is it exactly?" I asked and he placed plates in front of the rest of the group before picking up a dish towel and wiping his hands.

"Orecchiette with Ricotta and Chard Pan Sauce. It's one of my favorite dishes. Italians know how to cook right." He sat beside Eleanor and picked up a fork, a proud gin on his face.

"Beh, è davvero sorprendente. Grazie." I felt all eyes on me and took a sip of the water in front of me.

Dave looked to me with a surprised but pleased smile "I like you even more now."

I laughed and blushed a little at the compliment. I wasn't used to them and didn't really like them, but being around the B.A.U. I'd learned to live with them. "My grandmother taught me how to speak Italian fluently. She was full Romanian and had lived there her whole life so she taught me the language as well. We'd always planned on taking a trip there." I felt a smile pull at my lips but couldn't help but feel a stab of pain in my heart.

I missed her desperately but refused to let it show. I felt a hand on mine and found myself not having to look up to see who's it was and found myself twining my fingers with his. It was cruel to get close to him like this when I had every intention of leaving, but it was a selfish want that I couldn't bring myself to ignore.

"Reid, you may be in trouble. I've heard Romanian's can be a bit of trouble." Spencer looked up from his dish to Derek, who had a mischievous smile on his face. Penelope smacked him on the arm lightly and laughed.

"Like you have room to talk, sweet cheeks." She said and I smiled at their exchange. I felt a little guilty for running off when she'd asked me about a girls day but I didn't know how to tell her that nothing would make me more uncomfortable.

I looked around and saw that JJ and Will weren't here tonight along with Hotch and Jack. "Where is everyone else?" Eleanor asked and I resisted the urge to laugh out loud at the coincidence.

"They stayed home with the kids tonight." Dave said and I took another sip of my water. "They did however ask us if we all wanted to go bowling this weekend? It's something that the kids could enjoy along with the rest of us."

"David, don't you think we're getting a little old for bowling?" Eleanor asked and the rest of the group laughed at the comment.

He raised an eyebrow at her before letting his face slip into a smile. "You're only as old as you feel and I've been in the F.B.I. for…" he looked at me and stopped himself before saying "a while."

I joined in on the laughter then and felt myself just relax around the group. "Bexley, dear." I looked up at Eleanor and smiled lightly, waiting for what she had to say. "I have something I've wanted to ask."

I stood from the bar and grabbed my dish before sitting it in the sink. "Ask away." I said and hoped my voice was calm despite the nervousness that I knew was in my eyes.

"You mentioned a grandmother earlier and I'd just like to know if any of your family will be coming by to see you. I'd love to meet them."

I bit my lip and put my hands on either side of the sink. "No, they won't be coming by or calling."

I knew they could hear the sound of relief in my voice. It wasn't entirely true, seeing as how my father was looking for me now but it wasn't a visit I cared to tell them about. I dreaded the thought of when he found me. I nearly wished that he'd be coming for me to kill me but he wanted the ten thousand dollars my grandmother had left me and if I could I'd give it to him but I couldn't have access to the money for another year. He'd believe it would be a lie and even if he did truly believe me, he wouldn't let me live that year away from him.

I decided that it was time to leave and was thankful for the paleness that had come over me from the fear. I turned to them and put a hand to my head, acting as if I had a horrible headache. "I truly hate to eat and leave, but I'm feeling a little dizzy. Thank you for the amazing dinner, David." I looked to Penelope, Derek, and Eleanor and smiled.

"I hope to see you all soon." I said and walked out of the kitchen.

Penelope stood and walked her dish over to the sink; she gave me a cautious look. I felt the urge to run but had learned a long time ago to stand my ground against a threat. This was no different. "We'll see you at the bowling thing this weekend, right?" I nodded and gave her a smile.

"Of course you will. Let me know when you want to do that girl's night thing." I said and she relaxed a little at this. I couldn't help but say a silent thank you.

I walked past Derek, who stood and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Have a good night, Bex." I placed my hand on his and nodded before walking over to Spencer, who stood from his stool.

"We'll see you guys this weekend." He said and I raised an eyebrow at him. I hoped my eyes showed more curiosity than annoyance.

"I'm ok enough to walk home alone; I'd hate to have you leave early because of me." I said and found this as trues as the fact that I was slightly annoyed.

He shrugged and opened the front door for me. I walked through the door and we began our walk home.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and took a deep breath. "What is it, Spencer?" I asked softly but firmly as well.

"Why won't your family come and visit? More importantly, why did you sound relieved and terrified at the same time?" he asked and I almost tripped at how blunt he was.

I bit my lip and ran a hand through my hair to cover my face on the sides. I took a deep breath and was careful with how I worded what I was about to say. "My grandparents are both dead on my father's side. I'm not sure what happened to the ones on my mother's side, all I know is that they've never been around. I haven't seen my mother since I was six years old and my father…" I stopped then and placed my hands on my collarbone, over the scars he'd seen before.

I didn't say anything else until we reached the doors to our apartments. He placed his hands on my shoulders and I let my hands fall at my sides. "But you already knew."

A sad smile crossed his face and I crossed my arms over my chest and looked away from him, tears stung my eyes and I refused to let them fall. He dropped his hands from my shoulders but gently placed his hand under my chin until I looked up at him.

His brown eyes were warm and full of understanding and I waited for him to say something. He looked nervous but looked like he had something he wanted to tell me, so I listened carefully.

"My mother is schizophrenic and I have seen my father once in over 20 years. I was tormented all through school and through this time my mother was having her fits so she never noticed the days I got home late. I fell in love with someone a few years ago and the only time I saw her was when she was killed in front of me. I have to worry about the fact that I may not remember anything in 20 years and it scares me to know this because of all the things I never want to forget. What I'm trying to say is, we all have horrific past that we have to learn to live through and you're not alone anymore. I may not know exactly what you've been through but I'll do whatever I can to keep you safe. I won't let anyone hurt you.'

I absorbed every word he said and felt my heart beat a little faster. I found myself wanting to tell him all of the truth but couldn't. I refused to force him to deal with my life and I wouldn't let him put himself in danger. I felt a crushing guilt at the thought of forcing him to lose someone else and I knew I should have ran inside and packed up my bags then and left but I couldn't move from where I stood. I wouldn't tell him anything else about my life but I knew now that I would be here longer than I should.

His eyes locked on mine and he dropped his hands from my face to my lower back. I found myself wrapping my arms around his neck and let my hands tangle in his soft hair. I wasn't sure what I was doing and found myself scared. I knew this was wrong and cruel in so many ways but the reasonable part of my brain was quiet tonight.

He leaned in close to me and I could feel his breath on my lips. I felt my stomach do a backflip but refused to back away from him this time. I wanted this, I realized. I wanted to be selfish and I just wanted him close to me.

He had a question in his eyes and I simply closed mine. I felt my heart racing and I could hear my mind screaming at me but then I felt something I never thought I'd feel. He had closed the distance between our lips and I lost my ability to think. He pulled me closer to him by my waist but continued to gently kiss my lips.

He licked my bottom lip lightly and I let my lips part. The taste of his kiss was intoxicating and he continued to hold me close as his tongue gently massaged my own. We broke to breathe and I tried to settle my heartbeat, breaking away from the embrace. I looked up at him to see him smiling and running a hand through his hair, a nervous look on his face.

I smiled and pulled my hair away from my face before looking up at him. My heart continued to race but I composed facial expressions quickly. "I'm not very experienced but I don't think I could have imagined a better kiss."

He dropped his hands to his sides and looked into my bright gold eyes. I couldn't help but feel like he was seeing into my soul now but refused to look away this time. "I can't imagine a way it could be more perfect."

I unlocked and opened my door before looking back at him. "Goodnight, Spencer." I said and took a step inside my door.

He took a step closer and leaned down to place a quick, gentle kiss on my lips. "Goodnight, Bexley."

I closed my door behind me and heard his do the same thing. I placed my finger to my lips and thought about the kiss we just shared. I remembered that I would still have to leave soon and would have no choice now. That kiss sealed the argument and I knew that if I was selfish enough to stay around, I would lose Spencer. If I left, I would lose him all the same but at least I knew he would be happy with someone else. Eventually, I would be dragged back to my father's home and I would never see him again.

Either way, I was about to lose him forever. I slid down my door and wrapped my arms around my knees, crying softly as the cold, cruel reality invaded and settled in the front of my mind.

 *****Well there it is everyone. I hope you are all still enjoying the story. Gossamermouse101 thank you for your continuous reviews. They make me smile every time** **. R &R. I love hearing from you all and would love to hear your thoughts on how the story is progressing. Have a great day **


	17. Chapter 16

_~SPENCER POV~_

Saturday morning, I found myself up a little earlier than usual. I got up and dressed in my jeans, t-shirt, grabbed a blue and red striped sock and green star sock before heading into the living room. I sat the clothes down on the counter and proceeded with fixing my coffee, a smile on my face. Today was the day we were all taking Henry and Jack bowling and I was looking forward to spending some time with my godson.

Will and JJ would more than likely leave Michael, their youngest baby, with her mother for the day and it was a relief to hear that they were getting along better. I went to my room and changed into the clothes I had laid out before going to the bathroom and attempting to calm my hair down a little. After brushing my teeth and applying deodorant I walked into the small kitchen and grabbed one of the store bought muffins and a cup of coffee.

I grabbed my keys off of the counter after finishing the muffin and fixed another cup of coffee in a to-go cup before locking the door to my apartment. I turned to see Bexley walking down the stairs and stuffing the key to her apartment in her pocket.

"Hey." I said and she turned around and she gave me a small smile. The dark circles under her eyes showed that she hadn't slept well for the past couple of nights but she still looked stunning. She wore her traditional combat boots, blue jeans, and a black t-shirt. Her hair was styled up in a messy bun and I picked up the slightest scent of vanilla.

"Hey. I hope I don't scare Henry or Jack too much." She let out a small humorless laugh before placing a hand on her head.

"You look beautiful, that's not changing. Did you sleep at all last night?" I asked and put a hand on her cheek.

She gave me a sheepish grin before crossing her arms over her chest and looking down. "No. Nightmares."

"I understand." Since joining the B.A.U. I'd had nightmares for years. They only occurred every once in a while but I couldn't imagine a time when they'd completely stop. She looked up at me and bit her lip. "I'm here if you want someone to talk to." I was careful not to use the word need. She was independent and would more than likely not talk to me the rest of the day if I'd implied that she needed help.

She put her arms around my neck and gently placed a kiss on my lips. My mind went completely blank as I felt her mouth on mine and I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her waist. I loved having her close to me and I loved not having anything else on my mind except the feel of her lips and the taste of her cherry lip gloss.

I nipped her bottom lip lightly and I felt her start to smile. I broke away from the kiss so I could see her smile and I also saw that her golden eyes looked a little more alive. I leaned in and placed one last peck to her lips before breaking away from her completely.

"We should head out now if we don't want them to wait on us too long." She said and a light blush covered her cheeks. "Just to warn you ahead of time: I've never done this."

"I'll teach you." I told her and we headed to my car.

It was a short drive to the bowling alley and as I put the car in park I couldn't help but look at her. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her again but I decided to keep myself in check. We walked into the bowling alley and I couldn't help but notice that she put more space between us as we walked into the small building.

"Pretty Boy!" I heard the voice of Morgan and looked up to see him and the rest of the group smiling. Henry ran to me and I leaned down to give him a quick hug.

"Good to see you again, dear." I looked up to see Eleanor looking at me and she hugged me as soon as I stood up.

I returned the hug without a second thought and let go so she could hug Bexley. I noticed Bexley completely relaxed as she and Eleanor hugged. I couldn't help but wish that she would relax as much around me and I desperately hoped that eventually she would trust me enough to let her guard down that much.

"You kids ready?" Rossi asked and handed us each a pair of bowling shoes. Bexley grabbed her pair and went to sit down on one of the small couches.

"Thanks, Rossi." I went and sat across from her on one of the other couches. I slipped on my shoes and watched as Hotch and Jack played together and couldn't help but smile at them.

"Do you ever think about it?" I looked up to see Garcia standing not far from me and a smile on her face.

I moved over so she could sit down and she looked at Bexley, an unsure expression on her face. "Think about what?"

She looked at me and smiled softly. She gestured with her eyes to Jack and shot me a true Garcia smile.

"Of course I do." I looked over to Henry and smiled. "But not right now."

I stood up and looked to Bexley, who was sitting calmly with her legs crossed. "I've never met anyone who could pull of bowling shoes." She laughed and stood up.

"Ready to learn how to bowl?" I asked.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

I picked up a bright blue bowling ball and stuck my fingers in the three holes and sent it down the aisle. It went straight to the gutter… again. I couldn't help but laugh at my luck.

"You'll get it eventually, dearie." Eleanor called and I couldn't help but laugh even harder. This was the first time I'd ever taken a day to just enjoy and I didn't even care that I hadn't hit the first pin.

Morgan walked over and sent a green ball down the aisle and knocked over all of the pins. "Let me know if you want some help, sweet heart."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. I watched as Spencer helped Henry line the ball up and I couldn't hear what he said but Henry let the ball glide down the aisle, and like Morgan, he knocked all the pins down. I think Aaron had called it a "strike".

"Go Henry!" JJ and Rossi both screamed.

I picked up the ball again and felt someone else standing close to me. I looked back to see Spencer and smiled at him. I decided to go against my own personal code and asked "Care to give a girl a hand?"

He put his hands on my waist and gently angled them to wear they were pressed into his and slid his hands up to where mine were on the bowling ball. "The trick is to keep your eyes on the pins and stare straight down the middle. Now if you can match the speed of the ball to your coordination, you'll get a strike nearly every time."

I looked down to the center and kept my eyes on the middle pin and with his help, sent the ball down toward the pins. I felt a jolt of pain in my ribs and put a hand over them. I ignored the pain and watched the ball. It hit the center one and one by one, they all fell. I gasped in surprise and heard the B.A.U. team as well as Jack and Henry cheering behind us.

I turned to see Spencer smiling victoriously and I couldn't help but throw my arms around his neck in an embrace, despite the pain in my ribs. His arms immediately circled around my waist and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face.

"You did it." he said and for once I felt nothing but joy. I wanted to stay in his embrace forever but I knew that I needed to move away. "Are you okay?" he asked and I nodded. I didn't want to kiss him in front of the team just yet but I knew if I stayed around him much longer, I wouldn't be able to fight the urge.

"I'm going to go sit with Eleanor." I said and walked over to take a seat next to Eleanor.

"He's something else, isn't he?" she asked and I looked at Spencer to see Rossi giving him a teasing grin. Spencer rolled his eyes and picked up another bowling ball.

"He is." I said and felt my heart beat a little faster as I watched him. "I'm going to get a Pepsi. Would you like something?"

"No thank you, sweetie." She said and I walked over to the vending machine and bought a drink.

Spencer walked over a few seconds later with three dollars in his hand. I assumed that he was getting himself as well as Jack and Henry something to drink.

I put a hand on his cheek and he leaned down so I could place a quick kiss on his lips. "What was that for?"

"I have to have a reason to kiss you?" I asked and he smiled at me before leaning down for another kiss.

"You can kiss me anytime you want." He said and leaned away from me. "I'm going to get the boys something to drink. I'll be right back."

I smiled and looked over at the group as he walked back to them after getting the drinks. The pain in my ribs reminded me of the fact that I couldn't stay here forever, despite how happy I was. The pain in my ribs was from all the years that my father had kicked me with his boots and even though it had been months since I felt the cool metal on my ribs, the pain was still there.

But I couldn't deny it anymore. There was nothing I could do now and I had wished that I'd left sooner but there was nothing to do now. I was going to be heartbroken when I left for a number of reasons.

I would stay in Quantico until I had no choice but to leave because the truth was… I was beginning to fall for Spencer Reid.

 *****Well there's another chapter. I hope you guys are enjoying the store and thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. I enjoy hearing from each of you so R &R often. Thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 17

_~BEXLEY POV~_

Sunday morning came early and after staying out late with the B.A.U. team, there was no denying the fact that I was exhausted. I gently pulled off the top I'd worn last night and as I walked by the small mirror in my room, I couldn't help but notice a few of the faded scars on my stomach. I looked away from the mirror and grabbed my blue shirt from my dresser.

I couldn't help but cringe as my ribs ached with every move I made. Work was going to be hell today but I didn't regret the night with everyone last night. I'd never had so much fun in my life and it was nice to almost forget about the future and the past. It was nice to just thing about what was going on in the present.

I slipped on my black jeans and boots and headed out the door. It wasn't a far walk to the music store but it was far enough that it left me alone with my thoughts. I thought of Spencer and his smile and the way he was with Jack and Henry. The way he rattled off about things that he knew and how, despite the fact that I couldn't follow what he was saying, I loved listening to him babble.

I thought of Eleanor and how she meant the world to me now. She was so much like my grandmother that the thought of leaving her caused me pain. I thought of JJ, Will, David, Aaron, and Derek and how they had welcomed me into their little group. I thought of Penelope and how even though she wasn't completely to the point of trusting me, she tried to make me feel welcome.

I looked up from my feet and saw a shadow dart down into an alley way. I felt a wave of fear roll over me and before I even registered what I was doing, I was heading down the alley. I felt my breathing speed up and I walked faster. I stopped and realized that the footsteps of the other person had stopped as well.

I could tell that the person was near and was almost certain he was around the corner. I took a deep breath and quickly looked around the corner to see that no one was there. Did I just imagine that?

I felt someone's presence and they placed a hand on my shoulder. I couldn't stop my instinct before my foot connected with his groin.

"Mother fucker!" I looked a little more carefully to see who I'd kicked and saw a man that stood at six feet tall with black hair and a bit of stubble. He wore a white t-shirt, black jeans, boots, and a black jacket. He finally opened his eyes and I saw that they were a color of hazel. "Sloane, is this a friend of yours?"

A familiar face walked out from behind one of the corners. It was the girl from the video store that I'd met a while back. "She is now. It's good to see you again."

"Sloane!" the guy growled and I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at them. I backed up and he sat down on the ground and lay back against the wall. I stayed for a minute and fought my instinct to run. I wanted answers this time.

"Stop whining, Tyler." The woman, who I no knew as Sloane, said as she walked over with an ice pack and threw it at his crotch. He cringed as it made contact and I looked to her.

"Who the fuck hangs out in a dark alley?" I asked and didn't bother to hide the irritation I felt. She grinned and walked past me to sit down next to Tyler. "Where did the ice pack come from?"

"He irritates the hell out of me on a daily basis so I keep them with me in a cooler. As for your first question, the same person who kicks the shit out of a random stranger on contact is who hangs out in a dark alley. It's early morning though, so it's not dark."

I shook my head and began to walk out of the alley when she called "It's rude to kick someone's boyfriend in the nuts and not give your name, music girl."

I stopped in my tracks and glanced back at the girl. I didn't know whether or not to trust her but despite her dangerous look, I couldn't see her as a threat to anyone except the person sitting next to her.

"Bexley." I told her and she nodded once before smiling.

"See you around, Bexley." She said and I turned back around and slowly walked out of the alley.

The rest of the walk to the music store was pretty peaceful and I walked in to see Nathan, who now had blond hair instead of the light brown that he loved so much. "When did this happen?" I asked and smiled at him.

"Since we started dating." Roxy came in and grinned brightly at me. I noticed that her hair was now a bright pink instead of its usual black.

I laughed and grabbed the box of music to start putting it away on the shelves. Anything to keep my mind occupied.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

"How can you hate the beach?" JJ asked and I looked at her just in time to fall on my ass as the sand slid down the small hill.

I glared at her and stood up again before we continued our walk over to Morgan, Hotch, and Rossi. Rossi looked at me and laughed as he saw me brushing the sand off of my pants.

"What do we know so far?" I asked and Morgan looked back down at the 23 year old male that lay dead face down in the ocean.

"Same as the first victim: male, throat slit open to pour into the ocean, eyes are open so no sign of remorse, any footprints that could have been left behind have been washed away by the ocean, and no witnesses so the kill was more than likely at night. The only difference is this male is not nineteen." Rossi said and I looked down at the victim.

"That's two in one week." I ran a hand through my hair and then looked up at JJ.

She looked down at her phone and then back up at me. "Local P.D. wants to see us."

"JJ and I will meet with local P.D. Morgan and Rossi, scope out the area. Talk to the locals and see if anyone's seen anything. Reid, stay here and see if you can find anything to help with the case. We'll meet in an hour and put together a profile. We should have an ID by then." Hotch sounded stressed about this case already and no matter how much I hated the beach, I wasn't going to argue.

After wandering along the beach for an hour and finding nothing I was called back to the local department and was now listening as Hotch described the UNSUB.

"The person we are looking for has a history with the ocean. It is uncertain whether these are good experiences. The person is more than likely local so look for someone who has a degree in marine biology or has lost someone to the ocean."

"The UNSUB is more than likely a loner. Not very friendly, maybe even awkward around other people to the point of making them uncomfortable." Morgan spoke sternly and I watched as several of the local P.D. started writing faster.

I looked from one officer to another as I said "Check local libraries. Flag anyone who has checked out numerous books on the ocean. Our UNSUB is a woman who is in her early twenties and attractive enough to lure men out into the ocean at night."

"A woman doesn't have the strength to take down a full grown male without having him restrained." One of the local's said, his blue eyes looked at me questioningly and I looked to JJ.

She nodded and looked toward the young officer. "As Dr. Reid stated, the woman is more than likely attractive. The victims are also found face down in the sand. Say she walks behind him, offers him a massage. He takes it and once he is completely off guard, she takes the knife and slits his throat before he has any idea of what's happened."

"She cleans up any trace of fingerprints that could be left and leaves the body far enough in the ocean so that it washes away the blood. That'll be her signature and this is significant to her link with the ocean." Rossi finished and took a sip of the coffee from the cup in his hand.

"Scope out the local scene and if anyone matches this profile, alert us immediately and we'll bring them in for questioning." Hotch nodded at the sheriff and with that we all took off in separate directions to find the woman.

Hopefully, before her next kill.

 *****Thanks for the wonderful reviews. They brighten my day so much. This is the first time I've done a profile scene so let me know what you all think and I hope you are still enjoying the story. So R &R and have a great day everyone.**


	19. Chapter 18

_~SPENCER POV~_

I walked slowly along the ocean and felt like the biggest idiot ever. I couldn't believe out of all of us in the B.A.U. they asked me to be bait for our killer. There was no way I could have concealed a gun in the pale blue button down shirt and khaki pants. I knew the team was nearby but I couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness. I didn't have my gun on me or even a pair of handcuffs.

I heard someone walking behind me and felt my breathing pick up a little more. I remembered what I'd read about the woman. Her family had been claimed by the ocean and in this she had decided to try and understand the ways of the ocean. She had read a book that contained mythology and in this book, it was said that the ocean craved blood and so she had left her victims in the ocean so that the blood from their open throats would flood into the ocean.

I wanted to try and reason with her but I knew that it probably wouldn't come to that. She'd lost her ability to separate reality from fiction and with this loss, could not be reasoned. I slowed my steps until I stopped completely and I crossed my arms as I looked out at the ocean.

I felt hands slide up on my shoulders and she began massaging them lightly. I kept my breathing even and listened carefully. I felt one of her hands leave my body and looked down at my watch to see the moonlight had hit the knife and reflected onto my watch.

I quickly turned around and grabbed her arm. She began struggling immediately and I quickly grabbed her wrist and she dropped the knife.

I watched as a pair of cuffs were slapped over her wrists and she attempted to kick at me and the person I could now see was Hotch, that put the handcuffs on her. "Layla Tor, you're under arrest for the murder of two civilians."

"The ocean will wither away without their blood. I have to help! You don't realize what you are doing!" She began screaming, her short blonde hair was now covering her green eyes and her small figure fell to the ground in defeat. I watched as tears hit the ground and onto her knees. "I'll never see them again now."

Morgan walked over as Hotch escorted her to the police cruiser and I ran a hand through my hair, exhausted now. The three days of no sleep had finally caught up to me and I wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. Well… there was one thing I could think of that I wanted to do.

"Case is done and over. Time to go home and see our girls." He grinned at me and I shook my head.

I laughed and returned the teasing. "She's not mine."

He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Not yet, pretty boy. Give it some time. Try a magic trick."

I blushed and looked away from him. I pulled out my phone and dialed the number. I placed the phone next to my ear and waited for her to pick up but was disappointed to get her voicemail.

"Hey, Bex. It's Spencer; I'll be home in a little while and wanted to see if you were still awake. If not I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." I hung up the phone and put it back in my pocket.

JJ walked over not long after that and smiled at me. "Ready to go home."

I nodded and laughed as I watched Morgan smile adoringly as he talked to Savannah over the phone. "I miss you too, baby." he said into the phone.

I walked away from him along with JJ and towards Hotch and Rossi. Hotch was finishing up with the local P.D. and Rossi walked away from him and over to us.

"Ready to go home?" He asked and I nodded. JJ pulled her phone from her pocket and called Will.

"You have no idea." I said and walked into the direction of the car.

A few hours later I was at my apartment complex and was happy to be back in Quantico and away from anything even remotely similar to the beach. I walked up the stairs to my apartment and as I walked by Bexley's door, I felt something slightly off. I unlocked and opened my door throwing my stuff in there but quietly closed the door, locking it again.

I put a hand on Bexley's door and when I turned the knob, I was surprised to find the door unlocked. I walked in and knew I was facing the possibility of her rightfully getting pissed at me again but something in the back of my mind told me something was wrong. Her door was never unlocked to start with. I looked in the living room and saw her asleep in the corner with the copy of Romeo and Juliet beside her.

I was about to walk out when I saw her grab a handful of carpet and her expression turned into one of fear. I quickly walked over to her and tried to gently shake her awake.

"No! Get off of me!" she screamed and began kicking her feet, struggling to get out of my grip.

I tried shaking her again and said "Bexley. Bexley, it's okay. Bexley you're dreaming. Wake up."

Her foot connected with my hip but that must have been what it was going to take to wake her up because her eyes fluttered open a minute later.

"Hey." I said and she looked at me for a moment and her golden eyes lost all of the light in them. I expected her to start screaming at me for walking into her apartment without her knowing again. I expected her to be angry at me for waking her up and not letting her resolve whatever she'd dreamed about herself.

I was ready for any reaction… except the actual reaction. Her eyes closed and her hands tangled into my hair, pulling me closer to her. The second our lips met, I lost all train of thought and lightly pushed her down onto the carpet. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I couldn't help but notice the way she kissed me tonight.

It was desperate and afraid, I wanted to ask her what was wrong but I knew that now was most definitely not a time to do that. I also wouldn't take advantage of her though, so as hard as it was I moved away from her.

I pecked her lips again and noted the fact that she was still afraid of whatever she'd dreamed of. One of her hands remained in my hair but the other had dropped to her collarbone. I noticed the scars there again and saw even more than her usual t-shirt would allow. From where I'd pulled her shirt up below her ribcage, I could see several faded scars on her flat stomach and even one or two on her sides.

I decided to take a risk and leaned down to kiss the scars on her collarbone. I heard her gasp softly and the hand that was on her collarbone moved to my chest. I thought she would push me away for a moment and nearly moved further away from her but then I saw what she was doing. Her hand was placed over my heart and she was feeling the rhythm of my unsteady heartbeat.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

I felt a wave of calm come over me as I felt his heart beat against my hand and I continued to look up into his warm brown eyes. Slowly, the dream began to fade away as I looked at him. His cheeks were slightly flushed, his hair a mess, and a look of concern on his face. He looked alive and like his usual self. I felt the vision of his dead body fade to the back of my mind and felt more at ease as I felt each beat of his heart.

I thought of just a moment ago when he'd kissed my scars and though I felt embarrassed by the action, it hadn't seemed to faze him at all. My father had told me time and time again that I was ugly and that my scars were just one more thing to make me undesirable. He'd told me that I looked too much like my mother to ever be considered beautiful and hadn't bothered hiding the fact that this was one of the things that had saved me from rape.

I had no idea what Spencer saw in me and what good could possibly come of this but as I looked into his brown eyes, the world almost felt a little less horrible. I felt his breathing begin to even out as well as my own and I let my leg drop from around his waist. I noticed the outfit he was wearing, as well as what was noticeably the smell of salt on his clothes.

"Did you just get back from a case?" I asked and he laughed as he rolled onto his side. He propped up on his elbow and I laid on my arms to look at him.

He looked down at his clothes and nodded. "I hate when we have a case on the beach. I smell like it for days."

I smiled and images of the beach I'd seen at my grandmother's came to mind. I'd never seen the beach with my own eyes but it was something I would like to see someday. The image of the sun setting over the ocean was one of my grandmother's favorite things to talk about.

I was brought back to the present by the feeling of Spencer's hand on my side and tracing over one of the scars from my father's boots. I fought the instinct to jerk his hand away from me but I knew that he could feel my discomfort. This was one of the many draw backs of profilers.

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened?" he asked and his hand strayed from my side to my stomach, tracing more scars.

I sighed and did grab his hand this time. I laced my fingers with his and waited until his eyes met mine. "I don't want you to look at me with more sympathy than you already do. Everyone has their scars and everyone has a past. I'm trying to move past mine." I leaned forward and kissed him again.

It was wrong in several ways to say that. It made it seem like I had a future here with him or one at all. I wouldn't have a future until my father was dead and this wasn't happening anytime soon. I knew he'd kill anyone that tried to keep me away from him; he'd proven this once already. I couldn't let this happen to Spencer or to Eleanor.

I couldn't live with someone's death being my fault again. I'd give Spencer everything I had while I was here but I would have to break his heart eventually and in doing so, my own.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" I asked and he looked up at me, surprise filled his features and I smiled at the response.

"Are you sure?" he asked and I nodded before standing up. I walked over and locked my door before taking a deep breath and turning back around to look at him.

I smiled and walked back over to him, extending a hand to help him up from the floor. "I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure."

He smiled before taking my hand and I helped him up from the floor as he had done for me a few nights ago. I looked up into his eyes and had decided that they were one of my favorite things about him. They held warmth and assurance, something I'd never seen much of in my life and something that I would love to be able to get used to seeing.

He wrapped his arms around my waist again and leaned down to kiss me. I tangled my hands into his hair and gently parted my lips, allowing the kiss to deepen but only for a moment.

I leaned down and picked up the book I'd fallen asleep reading before grabbing his hand and leading him in the direction of my bedroom. He followed quietly and I laughed as he smiled at the sight of the queen sized air mattress Eleanor had given to me in the middle of the room that was covered in mismatched sheets and pillowcases. I picked up the blanket and threw it on the bed before lying down and making room for him.

I watched as he removed his shoes and saw one sock with purple and blue stripes and another that green with orange dots all over it. I smiled seeing this though and made a mental note to ask him about his mismatched socks later.

He gently eased into bed with me and I felt better knowing that I wouldn't be alone tonight while I slept. As he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close, I prayed for a night of blissful sleep. I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep as I listened to the calming sound of his breathing.

 ***** Well, there's another chapter along with the promise of many more. I hope you all are still enjoying the story still. Be sure to R &R and thank you for reading. **


	20. Chapter 19

_~SPENCER POV~_

I woke up the next morning in a very unfamiliar area that was at the same time all too familiar. I opened my eyes and stretched out on what I remembered was an air mattress and laid there for a minute. I realized I was alone and listened to see if I could hear the sound of running water or even footsteps but came up empty.

I sat up in bed and couldn't help but feel disappointed about waking up alone. I got up from the bed and looked to see that I was still in the clothes that I'd worn on the beach on the case the night before. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the bedroom, to head to my own apartment. I wanted nothing more than to change into some comfortable clothes.

I walked into the small living room just as Bexley walked in and the thought of my clothes disappeared, along with anything else I might have been thinking about. Her long red hair was in a mess and she wore a black t-shirt, a pair of tattered jeans, and her signature boots. I thought of Garcia and how she'd have a fit over Bexley's style of clothes.

She looked up at me and held up a cup of coffee from the coffee shop I'd taken her to not long ago. "I hope I got it right. I wanted to say thank you and apologize for kicking you last night. How's your hip?"

I laughed and took the cup of coffee from her. I took a sip and was surprised to find that it was exactly the way I had ordered it when we'd went on our date. "You have a good memory, it's perfect. I'm fine. Did you rest well?"

She nodded and took a seat in the floor and I joined her a moment later. She looked down at her coffee cup, a guilty expression on her face. I placed a hand on her cheek and she flinched, closing her eyes tightly.

I didn't know who, how long, or why, but whoever put her through the hell of being abused had damaged her in more ways than one. I thought of her scars and desperately wished that I could make her see that they didn't make her ugly like she thought.

In truth, she was breathtaking in every way. In that moment, I would have done anything to take away all the pain that she'd felt. Over the years, I'd learned that the physical rarely shows half the emotionally and mental damage that's been inflicted on someone over how long the time.

I brushed the hair from her face and she looked at me after a deep breath. Her golden eyes looked into mine and I felt as if for the first time, someone could see what I didn't want seen. It sounded ridiculous but in that moment, I understood what it meant to have someone see into your soul.

"I want nothing more than to bury my past and move on to my future." She said and she leaned into my hand and kissed my palm.

I bit my lip and wanted to ask her what she saw in her future but I decided to play it safe. "Are you off of work today?"

She looked at me confused and nodded once. "Why?"

"Would you like to spend the day together? I have some movies that we could watch or you can look through my collection of books if you like." I could hear the slight nervous edge in my voice.

She smiled and I felt my heart do a back flip. I didn't see her smile genuinely often and when I did, it made my heart race. I waited for her answer and she finally looked up at me.

"I'd love to. I've never actually just sat around and watched movies. It'll be a nice change." She took another sip of her coffee and looked down at her hands.

"Bex." She looked up at me and I leaned in to kiss her. The moment I felt her lips on mine, I felt like everything was going to be alright but I knew that there was a lot of issues we were going to have to get past before we would get to the point. In that moment though, I could forget about the world and just kiss her.

She moved away and I fought the urge to pull her back to me. I stood up with my coffee and she followed my lead. I walked over to my apartment and unlocked the door and I noticed how she locked hers and turned the knob to be sure that it was locked.

She looked up at me with a sheepish smile on her face and her eyes had a look of uncertainty in them. I walked into my apartment with her behind me and I walked over to my small movie collection and then I realized something.

"The TV is in the bedroom." I said and looked back at her to see that she was looking at the large collection of books on the wall.

She turned to look at me, a look of confusion on her face. "Okay."

I walked into my bedroom and grabbed a pair of clothes before walking into the bathroom. I took a washcloth out from under my sink and decided to take a quick shower to get the sand off of my body and out of my hair.

I stripped out of my clothes and turned the water on before stepping into the shower. I knew she would be content with the books in my living room long enough for me to shower.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

I heard the sound of water running and decided to stand up from the small couch in his living room to walk over to his small library. I ran my finger over a couple of the books until I come across one that looked slightly worn. I pulled the book out and accidentally knocked the one beside of it out of its place on the shelf and onto the floor.

"Shit." was the only word that came to mind and I leaned over to pick up the book, setting the other on the shelf.

A picture fell out of the book and I leaned down and picked up the picture. I looked at the picture and saw that it was an image of a woman with long brown hair that was pulled back and she had brown eyes. She wasn't strikingly beautiful but was definitely pretty.

"Maeve Donovan." I read the name on the back of the picture out loud and looked in the book to see a quote.

 _Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another._

I remembered him telling me about a girlfriend of his who'd been shot right in front of him and knew without a doubt that this was her. He had truly been in love with her and her with him. He'd had someone taken from him like I had and had had the courage to love again. I'd lost a family member but he'd lost what could have possibly been the love of his life.

He'd lost someone he loved and I was going to break his heart all over again when I left. I placed the book back on his shelf and sat back down on the couch. I felt an enormous guilt crushing me because I knew that I would break his heart.

I wish I could explain to him what my reason was for leaving. I wish I could explain everything to him but I knew telling him details of my past would put him in danger. My father would come for me soon and I knew that he was close but I couldn't bring myself to leave yet.

"Bex." Spencer called and I looked back to see him standing in the doorway to his bedroom in his sweatpants and a shirt, his hair soaked. "You okay?"

I stood up and walked over to him, placing my arms around his neck. His arms immediately wrapped around my waist and he rested his head against mine. I kissed him lightly and then smiled.

"Let's go find a movie." I knew I didn't have much time left with him, but I was going to enjoy what time I did have.

 *****Well there we go. I hope you are all still enjoying this story as much as I am writing it. R &R and thank you for reading. **


	21. Chapter 20

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I sat down on his bed and watched as he pulled out a small stack of movies. I bit my lip and he set the movies down before taking a seat next to me on the bed. He moved a piece of hair away from my face and I made sure to not flinch this time.

I leaned in and kissed his palm lightly before looking into his warm brown eyes. "I have to tell you something."

He raised an eyebrow at me and laid down on one of the pillows. He thought for a minute before saying "Tell me."

I grabbed his hand and twined my fingers with his, the nervous look on his face eased up a little. "I was looking through your library and a book fell. When I picked it up… I found a picture of a woman."

His face fell a little and I immediately regretted saying anything though this confirmed that it was the woman who'd been shot. I sat up and he tightened his grip around my fingers.

"I promise I wasn't snooping, it just fell." I felt the tiniest bit of fear and he surprised me by pulling me against his chest. He kept enough distance so that he could stare into my eyes but not by much.

"I know you weren't. You're not that kind of person. I'm guessing you figured out that she's the one that was shot in front of me." I nodded and felt horrible for pouring salt in a wound that clearly was still very tender. I felt guilty for having him open up to me and me having every intention of leaving still. That was how it was going to have to be though.

"Will you tell me something?" he asked and I moved so that my mess of red hair wasn't beneath me anymore and then laid back down to look at him.

"Depends." I told him and he smiled lightly. I was glad to see things ease a little after our discussion.

He put an arm around my waist and rested his hand on my lower back, massaging the skin that was under my black t-shirt. "Tell me something about your past. I feel like I don't know you and I'd really like to."

I took a deep breath and looked down trying to think of something to tell him that wasn't personal. Then a thought occurred that caused me to smile. "I loved my grandmother very much. I was closer to her than the rest of my family. I have her maiden name for my last name."

He smiled and said "I can see it in your eyes how much you must have loved her." I nodded and put my hand on his arm that rested on my waist.

"Do you think you'll ever trust me enough to let me all the way in?" he asked and I shook my head. His face didn't change expressions and to his credit his body didn't move away an inch.

"I don't want to lose you." I told him and now that I'd said the words out loud, I felt the truth of my words and the impact they made on both of us.

He put a hand on my face and waited until I met his eyes. "You won't."

He didn't give me the chance to argue with him but instead kissed me, softly at first but it slowly turned into something more… aggressive.

I parted my lips and his tongue immediately began to massage mine as he moved so that he was on top of me but keeping his weight off of me. I tangled my hands in his hair out of an instinct that I didn't know I had and I just wanted him close to me. He moved his hand down to my calf and hooked it over his hip and I felt my body begin to feel different than normal.

It was like the more he touched the hotter my body felt and everywhere his hand touched left a little trail of sparks. I broke away from him to breathe but he shamelessly moved to my neck and I moved both of my hands into his hair. He licked my neck lightly and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

He moved away and looked at me unsure. I realized that he'd thought I'd gasped out of fear and not at the feeling of his tongue and lips on my neck. I pulled his face back down to mine and kissed him again, nipping his bottom lip. A moan escaped his lips and he pressed into me and I felt something press against the lower part of my body and this was like a bucket of cold water being splashed on me.

I broke the kiss and concentrated on getting my breathing under control, dropping my leg from around his waist. He looked nervous, embarrassed, and aroused at the same time. I felt a little embarrassed about my reaction but I'd never had any physical contact before him. At least, not any that didn't end in bruises.

I smiled and kissed him again, lightly and quickly this time. I didn't deny the fact that I wanted him but tonight was not the night to do anything risky. If there ever would be a night, we would have to be careful.

He moved away from me and laid on his side trying to even out his breathing. I leaned down toward the edge of the bed and grabbed a movie, placing it into the DVD player. I didn't really pay attention to the one that I put in but I didn't really think it mattered at this point.

I crawled back into the bed with him and cuddled up to him. He smiled and gave a light laugh. "Sorry about that."

I laughed and kissed his cheek. "Not tonight. I'm not saying never, just hold me tonight." I told him and he moved so that he was propped up on the pillows behind him and I put my head over his chest.

"That, I can do." He placed his arm around my waist and held me close. It didn't take long after that for me to fall asleep and for the second time, I listened to the sound of his heartbeat before falling asleep. I didn't want to lose him and no matter how much I wanted to, I would eventually have to leave. But there in his arms, at least for a moment, I felt safe.

 *****Things are getting more and more intimate between them, is it not? R &R and let me know what you think and thanks for reading and the reviews.**


	22. Chapter 21

_~SPENCER POV~_

This next morning I woke up in my own room alone again. I laid my head back down on the pillow but could hear Bexley walking around in the living room so I got up and went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and changed into a pair of casual clothes. I walked into the living room to see her in the kitchen and a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast on a plate. She had on a fresh pair of clothes and I had a feeling she'd been up a lot longer than I'd originally thought.

"So much for breakfast in bed." she said with a laugh and I was surprised to find that she'd heard me walk in. I'd thought I was being quiet.

She turned the stove off and put the dishes in the sink before turning around and handing me a plate. "Good morning."

I grabbed the plate from her hand and saw that the food looked… perfect. It seemed almost organized in a way.

"Thank you." I told her and sat down at the table. She walked over to the coffee pot and poured two cups and added the caramel creamer to hers and put two teaspoons of sugar and a dash of milk in mine.

She sat my cup down in front of me before going to grab her plate and coffee. I wondered why she didn't bring hers with mine but decided not to ask. She sat down across from me and grabbed a paper towel off the roll and started to place it under her coffee cup but instead gave a humorless laugh and shook her heard before setting it down next to the plate.

"I'm not worried about coffee rings, Bex." I told her and gave a smile, hoping she would understand that I was joking.

She smiled and looked down at her coffee cup. "I guess it's out of habit. My dad hated water rings or coffee rings on the table. I remember leaving a cup of milk on the table when I was six and when he saw it he…"

She stopped talking then and though I wasn't sure what she was going to say but I was sure that it wasn't a good thing.

"What happened?" I asked and hoped that she would tell me in a way. She put a hand to her collar bone and touched the same faded scars that I'd kissed last night.

"It was one of those sets of dishes that break really easy so when the cup made contact, it shattered." She said and forced a small humorless laugh. I felt my blood boil and took a sip of my coffee, hoping that it would help me keep calm.

I was wrong and couldn't stop before saying "He threw something at you because you didn't put something under a cup to prevent rings."

She shrugged and said "It was kind of funny actually." I could tell that she was trying to cover up the emotional mark that it had actually left and I could tell she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

We ate in silence and it wasn't until we got up to wash the dishes that she said something. "So, I was thinking about something this morning before you woke up."

I felt a nervous feeling run through me but nodded my head and waited for her to continue. She took a deep breath and I could tell that she didn't really want to tell me what she'd been thinking about this morning.

"I was thinking about what you said last night about not knowing me. So I figured we could ask three questions and we have to be completely honest. No passes." I looked at her very surprised not at the offer, but at the fact that she was willing to make herself more vulnerable than normal.

I stared at her and knew I had a look of disbelief on my face. She smiled at me teasingly and I realized then that she was waiting on me to answer.

"Three questions about absolutely anything?" I asked and mainly asked because I wasn't sure if I'd heard her right.

She nodded and put the last dish in the dish drainer before walking into the living room. I followed her and she took a seat on the floor. I sat across from her and thought of all the millions of questions I wanted to ask her. The limitation was going to drive me crazy but she was letting me in. After six months, she was letting me in to know her a little more.

"You first." She said and I laughed. I knew what I wanted to ask her but I didn't want to open up old wounds.

I decided to just go ahead and ask what had been tearing at me for so long. "Tell me about your family?"

I immediately regretted saying as the pain flickered across her face but after she took a deep breath, she seemed a little calmer.

"My mom and dad didn't want a baby. They didn't ever love each other and I've come to the conclusion that I don't think they were ever capable of love. When I was born, they didn't want the world to know that they had something as awful as a child and they were ashamed to put their last name on my birth certificate. My grandmother, my father's mother, loved me at first sight and put her maiden name as my last name and she gave me my middle name as well. My father abused me for as long as I can remember. He was always drunk and I can't stand to be around anyone who drinks to this day. One is too many and when someone drinks, it scares the hell out of me. I remember him chasing me down the hall, knocking me to the ground, and kicking me with his steel toe boots. He always told me how worthless I was and how I deserved to be abused because it was my fault my mother left me. I remember every time he hit me and I remember him smiling after he beat me. It was the only time I ever saw him truly content. He blamed me for everything that went wrong in his life. People knew what was going on but didn't care where I grew up. I never cried while he beat me because I refused to give him that satisfaction. I haven't heard from my mom in sixteen years. My mother abandoned me at six years old after bailing my dad out of jail so I wouldn't go into the system. My grandfather died six weeks before that. Last I heard, she found a new husband four years ago and was living happily. The abuse ended after I ran away from home and then I met you and Eleanor."

She stopped for a minute and looked at me. I could tell she was studying me and I knew that she saw the anger that I felt. My blood boiled at the thought of someone hurting her and the thought of her mother abandoning her only made me angrier.

The thought of her living happily after purposefully abandoning her made me sick and I now understood why she didn't get close to people and why she didn't trust anyone.

"Did you ever tell anyone?" I asked and was almost certain that she hadn't said anything to anyone out of fear of her father finding out and the person she told not caring.

She nodded and said "I told someone six years ago and lost them. I blame myself for it every day that goes by."

I grabbed her hand and squeezed her hand wanting nothing more than to comfort her and to take away all the pain that she'd felt. I decided to give her a break and wait on the last question that I had.

She laughed then and said "You know, he always told me that he felt sorry for the person that decided to care about me. That he was getting something broken, worthless, and scarred. I have to say that I agree with him."

I saw in her eyes in that moment that she truly thought that she was worthless and I felt hate for a man I didn't know more than I had felt for every unsub I'd come up against. I fought the urge to pull her close but I wasn't going to ignore what she said.

"Bexley, you are not worthless. You are an amazing and strong woman despite what you have been through. You were brave enough to get out of your father's house despite what could have happened if he'd found you that night. You are not broken because the hell that you went through has made you the person you are supposed to be. As for the scars, they do not have anything to do with your future. They are a part of you and are one of the many things that make you beautiful."

She looked at me surprised then and I thought back over what I'd just said. I smiled and looked in time to see her golden eyes were bright with shock.

"You think I'm beautiful?" She asked and I realized that she had only been told this by maybe three people in her life, including me.

I reached up and grabbed a stray lock of her long red hair and tucked it behind her ear. "I think you're amazing, Bex."

She cleared her throat then and asked "What's your middle name?"

I bit my lip and finally said "Will you tell me yours?" She nodded and I laughed lightly. "My middle name is Walter."

She smiled then and I waited on her to laugh but instead she did something unexpected. "Spencer Walter Reid. It suits you."

I rolled my eyes and lay down on the carpet. "Your turn."

"My grandmother on my dad's side was over half Romanian and she wanted to my name to mean something. The name Valerica means forever strong in Romanian." She said and I looked to see her smiling almost sadly. I could tell that she missed her grandmother and I desperately wanted to know what happened to her but now wasn't them time to go into that.

"It's beautiful and perfect for you." She smiled then and shrugged.

"Will you dance with me?" she asked and I looked up at her in surprise but immediately stood up from the carpet pulling her with me.

I wasn't a fan of dancing but I loved any excuse to hold her. "I'd love to. Don't we need music?"

She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my neck. "No. Was that your third question?"

I laughed and spun her around before pulling her back to me. "I've still got one left and so do you. I think I'll hold on to mine so what's yours?"

She rested her head on my chest and took a deep breath. "Do you want me in your future?"

I was surprised by the question and tightened my arms around her, the smell of her hair wrapping around me. I let one of my hands leave her waist to tilt her chin up so she would look at me.

"I want you with me every day for the rest of my life, Bexley Valerica Kirrier." I told her and I saw something that took me by surprise. Her eyes began to water and I dropped my hand from her chin and pulled her to me as close as I could and held her while she cried.

I realized then in that moment that I couldn't ever lose her. There was no one else I would ever want in my life and I wouldn't let anything happen to her as long as I was alive. She meant everything to me.

I loved her.

 *****Well that's another chapter everyone. He knows almost everything now but there are a few dark secrets that haven't been revealed yet. Thank you for reading and R &R. Have a great day.**


	23. Chapter 22

_~SPENCER POV~_

It had been two weeks since mine and Bexley's movie night and I as I drove to work, I couldn't help but think about her. It seemed like she was all that was on my mind lately. I could focus on our cases and everything else but my favorite part of the day now was coming home to see her.

She'd been staying the night at my apartment or I'd been staying the night at hers ever since that first night. The times we were apart were hard, at least for me. I wanted so much to be closer to her than I was now. To fully understand her because I couldn't shake the feeling that she still didn't trust me.

I felt like she was hiding something from me and I wanted to know. At the same time, I was scared to find out. Secrets were kept for a reason and whatever she was hiding she clearly didn't want out.

I loved her though. The moment I'd come to realize this, I'd wanted to know everything about her. There were times I felt like she knew me better than I knew myself. When I looked into her golden eyes, I felt like she was seeing my soul and seeing me for the person that I had strived to be.

My mind was completely blank when I got into the room where Hotch, Garcia, Morgan, JJ, and Rossi were. There was a small woman with red hair and blue eyes, standing with her hands on her hips and looking extremely angry.

"Reid, this is Sasha Caverly." Hotch introduced the woman and I nodded before taking a seat next to JJ.

The woman didn't offer me any acknowledgement as she glared at Hotch. "Well, are you going to help me? My ex-husband is stalking me and I can't let my new husband find out about it because I've been trying to keep my past a secret. I'm trying to move on with my life. The police in Colorado won't do anything."

"Ma'am, unless the stalking is truly aggressive or you have any other evidence that he might harm you, we can't look into since you haven't put a restraining order on him." JJ tried to keep her voice calm but it was clear that she irritated with the situation.

Sasha looked at JJ with a hateful look and said "What about if I had evidence that he'd abused a child and murdered someone? There's probably more I could dig up on him if I could get the person to talk."

Rossi crossed his arms but stayed silent. I could tell that he wanted to say something to the woman but instead chose to stay quiet. Morgan, however, spoke up.

"You have evidence that he's abused a child and possibly committed murder but you are calling it in only because he's bothering you?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"Kids need to learn how to defend themselves some time and I moved. This was years ago but I bet anything he's still beating the hell out of her if she's not dead by now. As for the murder, it wasn't anyone of importance to me." she groaned in frustration and I couldn't stay quiet anymore.

"How can you be annoyed at the fact that you left a child for dead only because it's an inconvenience for you?" I growled and she looked at me surprised before flipping her red hair.

"I can be annoyed because the kid didn't mean anything to me. This kid ruined my life and is still screwing things up. My parents disowned me and I had six miserable years with an alcoholic because of that kid. I left for a reason and thought after that, my life would be perfect. I can't even remember the kid's name, it's been so long." She said and I couldn't help but hear the serious note in this woman's voice over her own child that she'd abandoned.

Rossi spoke up then and glared at the woman. "You are a disgusting excuse for a human being but we'll look into the case. Who was the person that was murdered? Or do you remember the name?"

The woman smiled then, satisfied with his answer. "Alexandrea Ashburn."

Garcia walked out of the room and while she left to get a hard copy of the file we all sat in silence. I felt anger that I hadn't felt in a long time as I stared at Sasha Caverly. I tried to stay quiet as we waited on Garcia and she arrived not a second later.

She sat down and began reading the file out loud. "It says that Alexandrea Ashburn was sixty years old when she was found strangled on her living room floor. She was strangled by a belt and had several bones broken from the weight of the killer. The only witness was…"

A tear ran down Garcia's cheek then and she stopped reading. She looked up at Sasha with a look of disbelief and Sasha simply raised her eyebrows.

"You said the kid that was abused was a girl? She was your daughter?" the woman simply nodded at Garcia's questions.

Garcia looked at me as more tears streamed down her face and she handed me the file without another word. I looked down, confused at her reaction and began to read out loud where Garcia left off.

"The only witness was sixteen year old Bexley Kirrier, the deceased's granddaughter, who had been covered in bruises when the police arrived but when asked about the murder said she didn't know anything. Local P.D. dropped the case a month later." I finished and looked up at the woman, my vision going red. Bexley's words came back to me and I now knew who I was looking at. I was looking at the woman who had bailed Bexley's abusive father out of jail and left because she couldn't stand the embarrassment of foster care. I looked down at the floor to keep myself calm.

JJ grabbed my hand then and said "This man is now a threat to Sasha and possibly other civilians. We're going to have to find out everything we can about him and to do that we're going to have to ask Bexley about him and read her file."

"The hell you are." I heard a voice I could now pick out of a crowd and wished desperately that I was wrong at who I was about to see.

I looked up from the floor and saw the woman I loved standing in the doorway looking at me and from that day on, I would hate myself for the expression that came across her face. She was hurt, broken, betrayed, and angry all at once.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

"What the fuck are you doing here? It's been sixteen years and now is the time you decide to come back? My life is finally starting to get better and you come back?" I growled at my mother and she looked at me confused for a minute before realization dawned on her.

She laughed, amused at the sight of me. "Well you're not dead after all."

I had to resist the urge to hit her then and there but instead took a deep breath. "No, he wouldn't be kind enough to kill me. He'd rather take everything I cared about first. You would know that had you given a damn about me in the first place."

"I heard about your grandmother and honestly thought that you'd just kill yourself afterward. You're daddy's stalking me and that's why I'm here." She said and I felt my blood heat up from the anger I felt towards this woman.

"So you led him here? What kind of brilliant idea was that? Why do you even need the police? You're replacement family can take care of you just fine." I growled and she shook her head.

She looked at me with pure hate in that moment and I felt my stomach do a back flip out of fear of what I knew she was about to say. "He's looking for you. It's all your fault… again. I would have thought that after your last mistake, you would learn to not do anything to piss him off. I know for a fact that your grandmother's death had something to do with you. He wouldn't kill his own mother for no reason."

I felt tears build up in my eyes at the truth in her words but refused to let them fall in front of her. "He found out that she left me a little bit of money but I can't even touch it until I have been free of him for a year! Don't you think I would have given it to him already if I could?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes before asking "So, you're not denying the fact that your grandmother is dead because of you?"

I turned away then and wrapped my arms around myself, trying not to fall apart in front of everyone.

"That's what this comes down to? A little bit of money?" Morgan asked but I refused to turn around and look at any of them. I was angry with every one of them. I was angry, because they were going to read my file and every personal part of my life that had ever been documented and were going to interrogate me for more person information.

"No, what this comes down to is that you all have a reason to go find my bastard ex-husband now and you're still sitting on your asses." Sasha growled and I could almost see all of their expressions.

I began to walk out of the room because I couldn't take anymore of hearing her. The scene started to play in my mind of the day I'd found my grandmother and I knew that I was going to start crying. I wouldn't do that in front of her though. I wouldn't let Sasha see me weak, even for a moment.

I was walking toward the elevator when I heard a second pair of footsteps not far behind me. "Don't you dare."

I growled at him and could feel that his hand was close to my shoulder. I could hear his shallow breathing and could almost see his expression of not knowing what to do or say to make things better. There was nothing he could have done at this point to make things better, but he could make them worse without a doubt.

"Bexley…" Spencer said softly and I had to fight the urge to look back at him. I stood there regardless of how much I wanted to continue walking.

"Why didn't you tell me this? I could have helped you. I still can but you have got to give me a chance." He said and I put my hand on the button to open the elevator door.

"I did give you a chance and you were going to interrogate and read my file. Were you even going to tell me that you read my file?" I asked and hit the button again.

I felt something change in the atmosphere then and turned around to look at him. He had a confused and angry expression on his face. "I blew my chance? Bexley, you haven't given me a chance. I've told you anything you've asked about me and a few things that I haven't told anyone in years. I told you about my family, my girlfriend that was shot in front of me, and other things that I would rather keep to myself because I trusted you."

I folded my arms across my chest and turned away from him. I couldn't say that he was lying to me because I knew every word out of his mouth was true. The elevator door opened then and I began to walk into it.

"Bexley." He said again and I stood halfway in the elevator. I looked back at him and saw that his face had changed. He had a calm expression again and looked at me with warm brown eyes.

He took a shaky breath and said "All I'm asking for is one chance. One chance for you to let me in completely. I don't want to lose you, so help me catch this bastard. If I mess things up, you can walk out of my life forever but please help me find your dad so I don't have to worry about him hurting you again. If I'm going to protect you, you have to give me a chance."

I felt my heart break slightly at his words and as I looked at him, I truly realized that I didn't want to lose him. I saw him strong and steady in that moment. I knew that he would do whatever it took to protect me and I was terrified to give him a real chance. I didn't want to be hurt again and I knew that my father would stop at nothing to get to me and if Spencer got in the way of that…

"I don't want to lose you." Was all I could say and I felt tears begin to sting my eyes. He nodded and I could see the worry in his eyes. I wanted to protect him at any cost but I knew then that I couldn't just walk out of his life. Not without giving him a real chance for him to be a part of mine.

I took a deep breath and said "One chance." He looked at me surprised and nodded. I walked out of the elevator and heard the door close behind me. I took a deep breath and looked down at my hands.

I remembered the agreement of three questions that I'd decided on a few weeks ago and looked up at him. "You've got one question left. You better make it count."

"What happened the day your grandmother was murdered?" he asked and I felt my heart break all over again as I prepared myself to relive the worst day of my life… so far.

 *****So… What did you think? Be sure to R &R and let me know how the chapter went. Thank you for reading and have a great day!**


	24. Chapter 23

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I followed Spencer to Hotch's office and closed the door behind me as he let down the blinds. I wasn't looking forward to this discussion but I had promised Spencer that I would give him a real chance. This meant letting him in every deep and dark corner.

I sat on the opposite side of the desk and he sat in the seat next to me, keeping a bit of distance while being close at the same time. He waited patiently as I took a deep, shaky breath before starting the story.

"The day started off normal. I was going to see my grandmother after I'd woken up that morning. My dad was gone and I'd assumed that he'd gone off to some other woman's home, to get his drugs, or to some party. I always snuck out of the house when he was gone because it was the only time I ever really got to see her. She was the only one who ever knew about the abuse and desperately wanted to do something about it."

I paused and watched his expressions carefully but saw that he was fully exposed so I could see the hurt in his eyes as he listened. I leaned back in the chair and started again, wishing in that moment that I could run from this situation.

"Every time I came over, we would read _Romeo & Juliet_. She had bought the soundtrack shortly after my grandfather died because she loved _A Time for Us_ or at least the instrumental. She said it reminded her of true love, which made her think of him."

I stopped to smile at the memory of them dancing to the song when I was five years old. I shook the memory from my mind, knowing that I had to focus on the day I lost her before the happier times.

"When I came in, I saw her lying on the floor with her eyes closed. I tried to feel a pulse and I was too busy trying to see if she was still alive to hear the door close behind me. I was brought back to reality by the familiar feeling of a boot meeting my ribs."

I stopped to look at Spencer and saw that his eyes had changed from sympathetic to angry. I saw that he was digging his nails into his forearms to keep from saying anything. I reached across the desk and grabbed his hand, letting my fingers tangled with his for the sake of comfort. To me or him, I wasn't sure.

"He kicked me again while I lay on the floor and said that she'd threatened to put him back in jail because she wouldn't deal with me being abused. She said she knew where the drugs were that he took and that she would make sure he never hurt me again. He leaned down and punched me in the face, blackening my eyes. I don't remember how many times he hit me or where exactly his boot and fist made contact. He said that if I ever told anyone the truth, he'd make me watch as he killed them. He left after that and the police arrived not long after. I don't remember exactly where he hit me or where he'd kicked me or how long it took for the cops to show up. All I remember is her being dead and when the police showed up, they tried to move me and they said something about my body being covered with bruises and asking me questions. I said I didn't know anything not because of my father's threat, but the fact that I'd called before and it hadn't done any good. He abused me another six years before I ran away and came here. Now, he's looking for me and when he finds me, he's going to kill me because he won't wait a year to get the money."

I finished the story and he gripped my hands as he looked deep into my eyes. "He's not going to hurt you. I'm not going to let that bastard hurt you any more than he already has."

I felt a small, sad smile spread across my face before looking down at the ground. "It's not me I'm worried about."

I squeezed his hand lightly and thought about Eleanor, the B.A.U. team, and the person whose hand I held. I didn't want to lose any of them but I knew that I'd done the one thing I swore I wouldn't do. The one thing I was trying to avoid by leaving the first chance I got was now pointless.

As I held Spencer's hand I knew that I was falling more for him each moment I was around him and if I lost him, I would lose my reason to breathe. He was everything to me and I was going to lose him one way or another.

My phone rang then and I knew that it was Sam calling. I was late for my shift and so I dropped Spencer's hands from mine and gave him a reassuring smile.

I wanted to be angry with him for putting me through the hell of falling for him and then having to lose him. I wanted to blame him for my mother coming back into my life and with her, the painful memories that were to be uncovered. I wanted to hate him for making me tell him about what happened to the one person who ever loved me. But I only had a little more time with him before my father caught up with me or I had to leave. So I wasn't going to spend the little time I had with him arguing. Instead, I would make the best of it so I would remember the last time I heard him laugh before my life came crashing down… again.

"I've got to go while I still have a job. I can come by tonight if you want." I told him as I stood up from the opposite side of the desk, releasing his hands in the process.

He simply nodded and I walked out of the room to head to the small music store that I'd come to love so much.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

It had been three hours since Bexley had told me about how she'd lost her grandmother and every detail of what she'd told me had played in my mind since she walked out of that office building.

I sat at home in front of the small piano that I hadn't sat at since my case with Sammy, waiting for her to come home. I heard her footsteps coming up the stairs of the apartment complex and I heard her open the door to my apartment.

"Hey." She said and I smiled at her before gesturing her over.

She looked at me confused before sitting next to me on the piano bench that JJ had bought to go with the keyboard, despite the fact that it was horribly mismatched. It wound up being one of my favorite things in my entire apartment oddly enough.

"I've been working on something for you since you left the office." I told her and she gave me a disapproving look. "Relax, it didn't cost a penny."

I looked at her and took a deep breath before saying "I wanted to apologize for putting you through telling me about your grandmother today. I decided that this would be a lot better than an actual apology though, so I hope you like it."

She waited patiently and after an encouraging look from her, I began to play the notes that I'd read from the sheet music a long time ago. I'd practiced on it since I got home and silently prayed that I hadn't forgotten anything.

A few minutes later, I looked up from the keys and saw tears in her eyes. I didn't know whether or not to say anything, so I chose to simply stay quiet until at last she smiled.

"I always wanted to hear this melody played in person. Why would you take the time to do this for me?" she asked and I felt my heart race a little. The answer was something short, terrifying, simple, and life changing all in one.

"I love you." Three words were all it took and her eyes grew wide in fear. It was a fear that I had never truly seen before. They were words that I'd never been able to say before and saying them now, I knew for certain that saying them to anyone else would have been wrong.

I began to feel nervous and wished that she would have said anything. I would have preferred anything to the calm yet frightened look she gave me. Then, finally, she wrapped her arms around my neck and our lips met in the most intoxicating kiss I'd ever experienced.

 *****There's the next chapter everyone. I hope you are all still enjoying the story and wanted to say thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. I hope there are many more in the future. Have a great day and don't forget to R &R.**


	25. Chapter 24

_~SPENCER POV~_

I stood up from the bench, forcing myself to break the kiss despite my desperate need to continue. She stood from the bench and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me in for another kiss. I licked her lips and she parted them, allowing me to deepen the kiss. I lowered my hands to her legs and pulled her up so I wouldn't have to bend to kiss her. Her legs immediately circled around my waist and I walked until she was between me and the wall.

I moved away from her mouth so she could catch her breath but couldn't bring myself to let my lips part from her skin and moved to her neck. I heard her moan as I lightly bit her neck and I felt my body becoming more aroused as her hips moved against me.

We eventually fumbled our way into the bedroom and we fell onto the bed, which caused her to laugh softly, a sound that had become addictive to me. I moved away from her and slid off the bed, watching as she moved to the very center of it, and I was unable to wipe the smile off of my face.

She smiled softly before looking down at her feet, a nervous look coming across her face. I sat down on the edge of the bed, careful not to touch her in case she'd changed her mind but close enough to show that I hadn't changed mine.

"Bex." I said and she looked up at me again, her golden eyes unsure and afraid. "I'm not going to force you to do anything that you don't want to."

She took a deep breath before saying "I know you won't. It's just that… I have no idea what I'm doing."

I smiled at knowing that she truly believed that I wouldn't hurt her, despite everything that she'd went through over the years. It warmed my heart even more to know that she'd never been with anyone, in any way, until me. She'd revealed to me once that she was glad that her first kiss had been with me and no one else, something that she'd been nervous to admit.

"I haven't changed my mind though." She said and I smiled at how even though she was unsure, she still wanted this. She still wanted me.

I moved so that I was laying above her but careful to keep my weight off of her. She tangled her hands in my hair and kissed me again, lighter this time. I pecked her lips before placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"We can stop at any time, Bex. Don't do anything that feels wrong." I told her, wanting her to understand that the choice was entirely her own.

She smiled and I saw her eyes shine with all the trust and sincerity in the world. "Nothing feels wrong with you, Spencer."

As soon as those words left her lips I couldn't help but kiss her. I loved her so much and hearing those words come from her allowed me to not doubt for a moment that we could make this work. I wanted her now and for the rest of my life but now wasn't the time to tell her this.

I moved a hand down from her waist to her leg to lift it over my hip, moving so that I could be closer to her. Her tongue met mine again and I could feel myself hardening every second that we touched. I wanted her in that moment more than I wanted anything else but tried to slow the pace. She, however, didn't seem to agree with this as she moved her hands to the bottom of my shirt and sweater vest, pulling them both up until I finally had to break the kiss so she could pull them over my head.

She smiled then and lifted her hand to place it over my heart in the small space between us. A light laugh escaped her as she said "It just doesn't seem to be fair. You're smart, have a wonderful personality, and you're completely breathtaking."

I felt a light blush color my cheeks and said "That's the first time I've ever heard that."

She laughed then and moved both of her hands back into my hair, pulling me back down to kiss her. I felt her tongue gently massage mine and I pressed my hips against hers, making our most intimate parts touch. Despite the fact that we both still had our pants and underwear on, the feeling was completely amazing and it would only get better as the night went on.

I let my hands wander to her shirt and pushed it up until I felt the soft fabric of her bra. I pulled away to pull both articles of clothing over her head and threw them onto the floor, taking a moment to study her body. I could see several scars on her stomach and the ones on her collar bone plainly now but they made her more beautiful than I could have imagined. She looked nervous as I reached my hand up and gently cupped one of her breast, lightly running my hand over her nipple.

She shivered at the touch but didn't pull away. Instead, she arched her back lightly and I took this as an invitation to allow myself further exploration. I kissed the scars on her collar bone before leaving a trail of kisses down to her other breast before taking the nipple into my mouth.

"Spencer." She moaned as I licked and sucked on the tender spot, bringing her as much pleasure as possible.

Her hands slid down my chest and to the front of my pants to unbutton them and she boldly slid her hand into my underwear. The moment her hand wrapped around me, I released her nipple and moaned lightly. As her hand gently stroked my erection, I felt my mind go completely blank from the pleasure I was feeling.

I kissed her again after a few minutes and removed her hand before the pleasure proved to be more than I could handle. I let my tongue slide between her lips and her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer to her.

I slid my hands down her sides to her jeans and unbuttoned the clasp before pulling them, along with her underwear, off of her. She moved away then and I froze completely before realizing that she'd moved to pull the rest of my clothing off of me as well.

This was the first time I'd fully seen her body and she was as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside, a combination that was rare beyond belief. I felt my body immediately react to the sight of her but refused to move until I'd taken in every last detail of her, storing it into my memory for the rest of my life.

Her warm golden eyes seemed to almost be teasing as she flipped her now messy hair, behind her. "Are you just going to stare at me all night?"

She was being playful despite the fact that I could tell she was still nervous but I decided to play along. "Perhaps. You're quite a lovely sight."

She blushed and it made me want her that much more. I knew after tonight, I'd never get enough of her. She was perfect and, I hoped, that she was mine.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

I felt my cheeks go completely red at his words and felt the lightest pull on my heart. He was amazing in every way and I was so glad that he would be the person that I'd share this with. It would be wrong, had it been anyone else at any other time.

I couldn't help but stare along his beautiful body as took in mine but I also couldn't ignore the lust that I felt in that moment. "Make love to me, Spencer."

It occurred to me that I'd said _make love_ instead of anything else but that was what this was. There were no other words to describe it and though I couldn't tell him that I loved him, I knew that I truly did. I loved him with everything in my heart and soul but telling him this would only make things harder.

I pulled him down to me again in a kiss and let his lips chase away every thought except the feel of his body on mine. I dug my nails into his back and felt his hand gently move down between my legs and his fingers slip into my warm center as his thumb caressed my clit.

I moaned and dug my nails in even more as a kind of electricity spread through my body, completely taking over my sense. I'd never felt something so amazing in my life and wanted more of it.

"Spencer." I moaned and attached my lips to his neck while he slid his hands to my legs and I immediately wrapped them around his waist.

I moved my lips away from his neck and he moved so that I could stare deep into his warm brown eyes. "Are you sure?"

I smiled and let my body answer his question because I just couldn't think of the right words to say in that moment. So instead I kissed him and he put both of his hands on my hips and I felt the tip of him lightly nudge my entrance. I ignored the feeling of discomfort and continued to kiss him until his hips moved away from me.

I was about to complain but my mind was taken over by the sudden sharp pain I felt as he entered my body completely with one thrust. I dug my nails into his back and bit my lip to stay quiet but couldn't stop the tears that I felt sting my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Bexley. It'll pass, my love." He murmured into my ear, along with several other words of comfort. I closed my eyes and I felt him stay perfectly still as I waited for the pain to pass and couldn't help but feel a little silly.

I'd been through beatings that brought me on the verge of death and hadn't shed a single tear. Something like this should have been nothing compared to that. The pain began to pass little by little and Spencer was placing the softest of kisses along my cheeks but was careful not to move.

I opened my eyes and felt a smile spread across my face as I saw the worried expression on his face. It warmed my heart in ways that I couldn't explain and immediately filled my body with lust.

"I'm okay." I told him and he looked at me unsure. "Kiss me, Spencer."

He didn't wait a moment more after that and his lips met mine in a fiery kiss that seemed to set my very soul on fire. He began a slow pace of removing his shaft almost completely out of my body before completely filling me again.

I nipped his lower lip before our tongues met in what can only be described as a battle of dominance. He won, of course, and while one of his hands kept a hold on my hip, the other slid back down to where our bodies joined and he began rubbing my clit with is thumb as the speed of his thrusts quickened.

I broke away from the kiss to let out a moan and found myself unable to stop the sounds of pleasure that escaped my mouth. I could barely hear his ragged breathing over the sound of my heart beat and then I felt him take my nipple back into his mouth.

I was pushed over the edge then and felt the world go up in white flames and stars as I cried out his name. I felt his pace become ragged and hurried before I felt one of his hands cup my jaw and he kissed me, letting his own sounds of pleasure be muffled by our kiss as he reached his own release.

After that he laid down next to me as we tried to catch our breath, a smile on both of our faces. As I looked at him, I took in every detail of this moment. His sweet smile, the sound of his breathing, and his messy hair. I leaned over and onto my side before feeling him slide up behind me, wrapping an arm around me to pull me close. I felt a feeling of protection I'd never known with his arm around me and I could feel his lips in my hair as we finally drifted off to what should have been a perfect night's sleep.

 *****Well there's the next chapter. It literally took me two days to write and I hope it turned out great. R &R and let me know what you all think. Also, thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. Have a great day everyone!**


	26. Chapter 25

_~SPENCER POV~_

The feeling of an alarmingly fast heartbeat woke me the next morning and I opened my eyes to see Bexley. A sight that should have been the most beautiful thing I could have imagined if tears had not been falling fast down her cheeks.

I pulled her close to me and saw her bright golden eyes immediately open in alarm. She quickly sat up in bed and flinched at the sharp pain I knew she would feel after last night. I waited as she closed her eyes and started mouthing words to herself that I couldn't make out.

I gently placed a hand on hers and her worried expression faded to a smile. She opened her eyes and looked back at me before tangling her fingers with my own. "Are you okay?"

It was a stupid question but I found myself saying it before I had time to stop myself. She smiled and leaned down to where I was resting on the pillows to place a light kiss on my lips.

"I will be." She moved and placed a kiss on both of my cheeks before kissing my nose. I immediately wrapped my arms around her waist and in the process dropped the blanket that covered us on the floor.

I tangled my hands in her hair and kissed her passionately before pulling myself away from her. I wanted to know what was wrong with her and wouldn't let myself be distracted from the situation. A task not easily done when you have a beautiful woman completely naked resting on your own naked body.

"Talk to me, Bex." I said softly and her smile dropped before she brought her hand up to my cheek. I leaned in and gently placed a kiss on her palm before looking back up into her eyes.

She took a deep, shaky breath before saying "I don't want to lose you. I've walked in and found someone dead before that was meant everything to me and I can't live through it again. Spencer, he's going to come after you and I can't let someone else's death be my fault."

I leaned up then and pulled her close to me before she could say anything else. I let her listen to the sound of my heart as I gently played with her hair and, for once, she let me comfort her.

"Alexandrea's death wasn't your fault and mine wouldn't be either. When you love someone, you have to be willing to give up everything for them. It's a choice we make when we decide to love someone. Nothing's going to happen to me though. We're going to find your dad, find some way to put your mom away, you're going to meet my screwed up little family, and I have every intention of spending the rest of my life with you."

I heard her breath catch in her throat and smiled at the expected reaction. She pulled back from me after a minute and had a very serious expression on her face. One that was serious but I could see the passion in her eyes.

"Spencer, I-" My phone ringing cut her off and for the first time in a long time, I wanted to throw the damn thing out the window. I leaned over and grabbed my phone, keeping a hand on her back so she wouldn't fall in the process.

I read the text and saw that we'd gotten the case on Bexley's dad and had to fly to New York to meet him. I looked up at her and saw that she was looking down at her hands that were splayed across my chest.

"What were you about to say, Bex?" I asked and she bit her lip, seeming almost nervous.

She ran a hand through her hair and smiled. "What did the text say?"

I raised an eyebrow at her, knowing that she was avoiding the question. "JJ said we got the case. We're going to get your dad."

The smile fell into a frown and she shrugged before saying "I don't want you to go."

I gently placed a kiss on her forehead before saying "I know you don't but I want you safe. There's no way I'm letting the team go in without me, especially since this concerns your safety."

She nodded before moving to stand by the bed, flinching as she did so. I leaned up and then remembered that she was sore from last night. We'd made love for the first time last night and it "perfect" didn't even begin to describe it.

I stood up and got dressed before leaning over and kissing her forehead. "I'll see you in a few days."

She didn't say anything but simply nodded before throwing her arms around my neck. "Be safe."

I kissed her lips gently before heading to the airport to go to New York and meet the bastard that was the father of the love of my life.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

It had been four hours and twenty minutes since Spencer and the team had left for New York. It was pitch black outside and I had just walked in to the little music store and saw Drew pacing in the store. I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I asked and he turned around to look at me.

He grabbed my hands and said "I have a huge favor to ask! I have a date tonight and got called in to work but I've already rescheduled on this girl twice and if I do it this time, she's going to dump me all together and I really like her. Can you please cover my shift?"

"Drew." I said and he had a look of pure nausea come across his face. "Get the hell out of here and go by some flowers."

He threw his arms around my neck in a hug before running out the door, calling "Thank you, Bexley!" over his shoulder.

I rolled my eyes and went over to the collection of CDs in the box. It was late and I knew that tonight Drew and I were pretty much in charge of restocking the music, which meant there wouldn't be a lot of customers if any.

I heard the door close and lock, the sound immediately causing me to be on my guard even though I knew it was useless. I felt the tears sting my eyes but I finished stacking the last shelf before turning around to face the intruder.

His black hair was down to his chin; his clothes were typical jeans and a torn shirt with a pair of steel toe boots, and a cold smile. The cruel look in his golden eyes was what completed the look for him and I felt my face slip into a very cool and emotionless state.

"I saw your lover along with his team board their plane." He said and leaned against the wall, casually, as if this were a normal situation. For us, I guess it was though.

I nodded and said "I know. I sent him off this morning."

He laughed and looked at my collarbone that was exposed a little by the button down shirt, proud of his work.

"You knew I was coming?" He asked and I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"I'm not as stupid as you'd like to think. You sent Sasha here and I know you know that I can't give you any money until the year is up. What did you do? Promise to split it with her if she helped find me?" I asked and he smiled. That was exactly what he'd done.

He walked forward and said "I'm not waiting a year, Bexley. If I can't have the money, then you are of no use to me as of now. I'm not going to kill you until you've lost everything: the B.A.U. team, Sloane, Roxy, Drew, Nathan, Eleanor, and more importantly, Dr. Reid."

I launched myself at him then and managed to tackle him to the ground before he punched me in the face, blackening one of my eyes. I reached up and scratched him from his cheek to his jaw before he slammed my head down on the floor. On impact, my vision began to blur but he wouldn't let me pass out.

"Maybe you need a reminder of what happens when you piss me off, little whore." He said and I felt the familiar feeling of his steel toe boots in my ribs.

I gasped in pain and felt my oxygen immediately disappear. I curled into the fetal position and he kicked me in my back before leaning down and grabbing a handful of my hair and slamming my head back down on the floor.

I put a hand on my head and when I felt him lean down close to me. "You're still weak as ever, daughter."

I threw the last bit of energy I had into a punch to his nose, satisfaction filling me when I heard the crack and felt the warm liquid that I knew was blood leak down from his face. He screamed in frustration and kicked me in the hip, shattering the bone.

I didn't know what hurt worse but the fact that I couldn't catch my breath was scaring me beyond belief and I knew that he'd broken one of my ribs. My vision went from blurring to beginning to go completely black and the last thing I heard was "See you soon, little girl."

 *****I'm back! This was a chapter I have not been looking forward to writing but I hope you all enjoyed reading it. Everything is finally out in the open and the real fight has begun. Thank you for the reviews, R &R, and I'll update soon! Have a great day.**


	27. Chapter 26

_~SPENCER POV~_

"Christopher Ashburn, open the door. F.B.I!" Morgan called loudly and as hard as I was trying to stay calm, I was fighting the urge from breaking down the damn door myself. After five seconds, Morgan kicked the door and it fell to the ground.

Morgan, JJ, Hotch, Rossi, and I rushed in immediately after and I couldn't help but hope that I'd get the chance to hit the son of a bitch once. As we came in the small apartment home, we saw that it was completely empty. There was no furniture, no boxes, and not even a curtain.

"The bastard must have known we were coming to get him and moved last minute." Morgan growled and I felt my blood boil at the thought of him getting away.

I pulled out my cellphone and kept control of my temper as I called Garcia. "This has to be the wrong address. There's no way he could have known we were coming."

"Unless Sasha set us up." JJ said and I realized that she was more than likely right. I'd let my emotions distract me and we'd probably just played right into their hands.

"What's wrong?" Garcia asked and I took a deep breath before putting the phone on speaker.

"He's gone. He left and it looks like it's been a few days judging from the neatness of the place." I heard Garcia groan and I leaned against the wall in defeat.

The line went dead for a minute and I waited for Garcia to pick up again, knowing that she was more than likely trying to find another possible address. I heard the phone fall, her chair falling over, and what sounded like she was grabbing something quickly.

"The bastard isn't in New York." She said and I could hear that she was crying.

This immediately caused me to worry and the rest of the team looked my way. "Garcia, what's wrong?"

She didn't answer and Morgan said "Baby girl, what's going on?"

"He's here in Quantico." She choked and I felt my heart stop.

I didn't want to ask the question that I had because I already knew the answer. "Garcia… Is Bexley…?"

"Bexley's in the hospital. Reid… it doesn't look good." She said and like that I dropped the phone and put my gun back in the holster before racing to the car, the rest of the team following me.

We drove to the airport and I had no doubts that it was almost double the speed limit but I couldn't bring myself to care. All I could think of was my lover, lying in a hospital bed and I didn't know what waited for me when I got back to Quantico. I felt the guilt crushing me as I realized that she'd told me she didn't want me to go to New York and I knew then that she knew he was coming after her.

"She knew." I said and JJ looked over at me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Spence, how can you be sure?" She asked and I couldn't answer her as I buried my face in my hands, tears stinging my eyes.

Rossi stayed quiet as he drove us to the airport. I knew that Morgan and Hotch were in the car behind us and was kind of glad that they weren't there at that moment.

Rossi spoke up then and said "Reid, don't assume the worst. She's a tough girl, she'll pull through this. Eleanor sent a message saying that they have Bexley stabilized. Sloane, Tyler, and Eleanor are at the hospital with her right now. The little group from the music store are in and out as well. "

"Who the hell are Sloane and Tyler?" I asked not recognizing the names of the two people and worry that someone else could be watching her for her bastard father.

Rossi laughed lightly but didn't ask about my irritated tone. "Sloane is a girl that Eleanor used to see hanging out on the street a lot. She's from a nice home but her parents don't really have time for her. Tyler is her boyfriend. Sloane is a friend of Bexley's and she's also the one who made the call. Apparently, she was coming in to check out some CD's for Tyler, found Bexley on the floor, and called Eleanor, who took her to the hospital. Sloane's also the one that called Garcia. Scared the hell out of her."

We arrived at the airport and very quickly loaded up into the plane and I knew that this would be the longest hour of my life. I wanted to call Garcia but knew that she more than likely wouldn't pick up because the hospital wasn't fully okay with cell phones in the patients room.

All that was left to do was to wait.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

I could hear the nurse talking to Sloane and Eleanor as I came out of the drowning state I'd been in. I opened my eyes but didn't say anything as I listened to what the nurse had to say.

"Ms. Carson, your results came back positive. Congratulations!" The young nurse said as she smiled brightly. She walked out of the room and Sloane grabbed two handfuls of her dark hair.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I'm pregnant!" she groaned and Eleanor gave her a disapproving look.

I decided to let them know I was awake and said "Figures. I wind up in the hospital because I got the shit beat out of me and you get worse news."

Sloane and Eleanor looked over as I finished my statement and I attempted to give them a smile before cheekbone began to hurt. Sloane laughed and said "Sorry for stealing all the attention."

I did laugh then and stopped after only a moment as I felt my ribs ache. I leaned back on the pillow and Eleanor brought over a glass of water to me. I looked over and saw Penelope, who's mascara was running down her face.

"The bastard must have done a thorough job this time." I said and when I reached my hand up to grab the glass, I saw that my wrists were purple. "Very thorough."

I took a sip of the water, forcing myself not to wince as I swallowed the cool drink. I heard one of the nurses fussing at someone just before Spencer came in.

Sloane grabbed the thickest book on the table and I saw up, wincing as I did, before saying "Relax, he's okay. My dad's not going to come in with you here. Trust me." I said and Eleanor walked over and gently coaxed me to lie back down.

"You're going to hurt yourself worse, dear. You need rest right now." I nodded with understanding before looking at Spencer. I could see that he'd been worried sick and after looking at Penelope to give her an assuring look, she stood up from her chair.

"Eleanor, we should get back out there and talk to the team. Sloane, you have some news for Tyler." She said and all three of the women walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

I looked to him and saw that he was quite the mess. I scooted over on the bed and patted the spot next to me. He simply stared at my hand before saying "You knew."

I felt my heart clench in my chest and said "Come sit down and we'll talk, Spencer."

He looked more worried and stressed than when he'd for New York. Never the less, he came over and took the spot on the bed next to me, careful not to touch me.

"Why did you send me away?" he asked and I took a deep breath before I started explaining.

 *****Well there's another chapter everyone. I hope you are all still enjoying reading and I will hopefully be updating more soon. R &R and thank you so much for the review on the last chapter. Have a great day!**


	28. Chapter 27

_~BEXLEY POV~_

"I sent you away because you are stubborn and I knew he was going to come for me the second I was alone. I didn't want you hurt. I can take a beating, Spence. I've learned how to do that over the years. I wasn't going to let you getting hurt be my fault. I can't go through that again." I told him and while my voice stayed calm, I knew he could hear the slight edge.

He leaned forward and put a kiss on my neck before saying "We're supposed to protect each other, Bex. Don't keep things like this from me. If you would have gotten killed…" he put his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes tight, trying to erase the image from his mind.

I ignored the pain as I let one of my hands move behind his head to play with his hair and I moved my other hand to hold his. He relaxed a little and I kissed his forehead.

"He's got no use for me now, Spence. He's going to try to kill me and you have to accept the fact that if that happens, it's not your fault." I told him and I started falling asleep from the pain killers and just the pure exhaustion of the pain itself.

He moved out of the bed, careful not to hurt me, and leaned down to peck my lips. "I'll see you soon, my love. Sleep well."

"Spencer." I called, more than half asleep. "Te iubesc."

I fell asleep after saying what I'd been holding back and I felt a smile on my face as I fell asleep.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

I closed her door gently, unsure of what she said to me before she fell asleep. I knew what I needed to do and made my way to the waiting room where the rest of the team was waiting. I came out and saw Sloane staring at Tyler with an eyebrow raised.

"Are you sure?" He asked and Sloane gave him the most confused look I'd ever seen.

"Am I sure? I tell you you're going to be a dad and all you have to say is "are you sure"? Of course, I'm sure. The nurse just told me a little while ago." He reached forward then and pulled her into a hug.

I couldn't help but feel a little jealous of their news. I was happy for them, don't get me wrong. I just… wanted to be able to have one of my own. I shook the selfish thoughts from my mind and nodded my head so that the rest of the team would meet me outside.

"What's going on, pretty boy?" Morgan asked.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets and said "Sasha has to know where he is. If he comes after her again, he's not going to let her go. I feel like this was a warning, not just to her but to me as well. I need to talk to Sasha."

Hotch stared me down before giving me an answer. "Reid, you can't force her to tell you where he is. We have to do this by protocol."

"Hotch; I've already lost someone because of following protocol. I will not lose Bexley." I said and didn't try to hide the determination in my voice. I didn't care if I lost my job, my friends, and had to go in alone. I was going to find Christopher Ashburn, one way or another.

JJ walked over, along with Penelope, and put a hand on my arm in a comforting gesture. "If you go, I'm going with you."

"Same, kiddo." Garcia said and gave me an assuring smile.

Rossi nodded and said "Eleanor would never forgive me if I let you go alone. Bexley's family now."

Morgan grinned and said "Count me in."

Hotch thought for a moment before pulling his cell phone out and sending a text message. He looked up and said "Sasha said to meet us at the park in five minutes. That's long enough for us to get there."

"Thank you, Hotch." I said and while they walked to their cars I came in to see Eleanor.

I walked over to her and said "We're going to talk to her mom now. Stay here with her and keep her safe. Please, don't let anything happen to her."

She hugged me then and I let myself feel the comfort she was offering. Sloane walked over with Tyler in tow.

"She'll be fine. Go get that fucker." Sloane gave a grin and Tyler put his arms around her, resting his hands on her stomach.

He nodded before saying "We'll keep her safe."

"Thank you." I said and pulled out of the hug. "One more thing. Eleanor, do you know Romanian by some chance?"

She smiled and said "A little bit, dear. Why?"

"Bexley said something before she fell asleep. It might have been nonsense, but I'd like to know what she said. Just in case." I couldn't bring myself to finish that sentence. I didn't want to think of not seeing Bexley again, though it was a very real possibility.

"What did she say?" She asked and Sloane and Tyler listened eagerly.

I was able to repeat what she'd said without difficulty. "Te iubesc."

Eleanor smiled sweetly then and her eyes glossed over in tears. This caused my heart to race but I remained quiet. I relaxed a little when I realized that it was tears of joy than hurt.

"It means I love you." She said and I felt my heart leap. If I hadn't have had to go find her mother, I would have loved to stay by her side until she woke up. I had to put her first and leave the hospital but at least I would leave knowing that she'd said what I'd been waiting to hear for so long.

Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds later, I was face to face with her mother at the park where I'd played chess so many times. Her long red hair was down and around her relaxed face. She was completely at ease as she walked up to all of us.

"You're not going to see him till in the morning. He's out all hours of the night but there's a cabin in the middle of the woods. He'll be there at five in the morning. Don't be surprised if he's waiting for you." She said and began to walk back to her car.

Morgan growled and asked "Why would he be waiting for us?"

"I said I would tell you where he was. He's not the type to run so I might as well give him a bit of warning. After all, it wouldn't be any fun to let you just arrest him. Good luck, Dr. Reid." She said and let out a laugh before making her way to her car.

I took a deep breath and calmed down before looking at Hotch. He nodded and said "We'll all meet in the morning on the outskirts of the woods. I'll send you the location later and everyone be ready."

They all nodded and I decided to walk back to the hospital instead of riding with them, hoping to calm myself down before arriving.

"Spence." JJ called and I looked back to see she had an extremely worried expression. "It's going to be okay."

I nodded and started my walk back to the hospital. I was going to stay by Bexley's side tonight and pray that it wasn't my last.

 *****Well, there's another chapter. Things are really going to go down in the next chapter. Let me know what you guys think so R &R and thank you for reading. Have a great day!**


	29. Chapter 28

_~BEXLEY POV~_

The next morning I woke up alone and I couldn't help the worried feeling that immediately washed over me. I leaned up in the hospital bed and ran a hand through my messy hair. I saw that Sloane wasn't in the room at the moment but saw her purse, which was strange.

"She's in the bathroom, dear." Eleanor said and took a seat next to me. She pressed a soft hand to my cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Where's Spencer?" I asked and she bit her lip softly.

I raised an eyebrow at her and she grabbed a bottle of water, not to drink, but to let her hands fiddle with the bottle. "They went to go find your father, sweetie. They left early this morning."

My heart dropped to my toes and I immediately felt anger, fear, and adrenaline fill my body. On the outside, I was completely calm.

"Did they find him?" I asked and she nodded.

I waited eagerly for her to tell me where they had gone as she took a sip of water. "They are in the woods. Even Penelope is out there. Tyler, Sloane, and I stayed here just in case you needed us. Sloane was… very verbal about them finding him. You're mother told them where he was."

"Let me guess, she called ahead to warn him." I said and she nodded. She put a hand on mine and then looked outside.

"I'm going to go check on Sloane in the ladies room. Tyler is probably waiting outside of the bathroom just worrying about her." I nodded and watched as she left the room.

As soon as I lost the sound of her footsteps, I pulled the needles out of my arm and ignored the pain in my ribs as I moved to get dressed. I pulled my hair back and could feel tears stinging my eyes every time I moved.

I saw something catch light in Sloane's purse and knew without a doubt it was the gun she carried with her everywhere. I picked it up and stuffed it in my jeans, letting my t-shirt cover it. I saw that Eleanor was nowhere to be soon, along with Sloane or Tyler, and made my way to the door to exit the hospital.

I saw Spencer's car sitting out front and walked over to it. I had seen him slide his keys into a place under the car several times and hoped he hadn't forgotten to do so this time. Sure enough, as soon as my hands slid under, the keys fell out.

I would have to beg for forgiveness later because he needed me right now. It didn't matter how many agents there were out in those woods, my father wasn't stupid or lenient. He would make sure Spencer was killed and I would do everything I could to make sure that didn't happen.

I just prayed I wasn't too late.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

"Christopher Ashburn? F.B.I.!" Hotch yelled through the door of the run down cabin. There was no answer, but there never really was. He kicked in the door and we all made our way inside. Morgan and I went upstairs to see if he was there while JJ, Hotch, and Rossi searched the ground floor. Garcia was in the car with a few other members of the F.B.I. team tracking anything she could.

"Son of a bitch isn't up here." Morgan said and I looked around to see nothing indicating he, or anyone else, had ever been up here.

"We'd better go down stairs quick. He's probably taken to the woods." I said and irritation was clear in my voice. We headed down stairs and met up with the rest of the team.

"Not a damn thing." Rossi said and I put a hand to my head before stuffing my gun back in my holster.

Hotch gestured to the woods and said "We'll have to cover the woods in fast."

"Sasha said he wasn't the type to run." I said and Rossi put a hand to his head.

"Well the bastard's running now. Reid, we've seen this a hundred times. Chris is no different than any other criminal. Except for the fact that every single one of us want a turn to wrap our hands around his throat." Morgan said and I couldn't but feel comfort from his words. Chris wasn't getting away this time.

They all fled to the woods quickly after that and I was headed out door when something caught my eyes. I saw a wooden latch peeking out from the carpet and pulled it up. I pulled my gun and made my way down the stairs to the basement.

I saw old boxes covered in dust but other than that, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until I looked on top of one of the boxes. I saw a picture of a younger version of Bexley and an elderly woman.

Bexley was around fourteen and was covered in bruises that weren't covered by the small nightgown she wore. She and her grandmother sat in a chair, leaning in to read a copy of _Romeo and Juliet_ , a smile on both of their faces.

"That's one of Bexley's favorite pictures. I borrowed it from her apartment for this special occasion." I heard someone say behind me and when I turned around I saw a gun pointed at me and a pair of golden eyes full of delight.

Christopher Ashburn held out his free hand but didn't once take the gun away from my profile. Seeing the man that had beat the woman I loved for twenty-two years face to face was different than I had thought it would be.

I never expected to be alone with him for one. I also didn't expect to see Bexley's eyes, the eyes I had fallen for on day one, be on him.

"Give me the gun, Dr. Reid." He said and I tossed the gun at him. If I was going to die, I wasn't about to let him know that I was afraid.

He smiled then and looked down at my leg, the one I'd been shot in a few years back trying to save a doctor.

"So bullet wounds heal over time. That was a brave thing you did for that man, Spencer. I can call you Spencer right?" he asked and I didn't say anything but simply crossed my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow.

I didn't say anything and he laughed lightly. "Come on, Spencer. Don't be rude to your father-in-law. You're mom and dad raised you better than that. Well… your mom did at least."

I felt anger spike in my blood but remained quiet. He raised the gun and pulled the trigger, the bullet going in the opposite leg he'd been eyeing. I bit my lip and groaned in pain as I put a hand on my leg. I pulled back and unsurprisingly saw blood.

"No noble reason for that one, Romeo. That was her favorite book. Do you know what happened in the end? Romeo dies for the love of Juliet." He laughed and pointed the gun up at my head.

I closed my eyes and said "Bexley, I love you."

I was surprised to hear another shot but feel no pain.

"You little whore!" I opened my eyes and saw that Chris was now on the ground clutching his leg.

I looked up and saw a mess of red hair and the beautiful golden eyes I never thought I'd see again. Bexley stood on the stair case, clutching the gun with both hands and had it risen directly at Chris.

"This isn't a planned story, Chris. No one is going to have the ending they want." She moved the gun and shot him in his other leg. He screamed in pain and put a hand over it. "That was for my grandmother."

She moved the gun and put a bullet in his shoulder blade. "That was for the past twenty-two years!"

He laughed then, despite his pain. This caused her to stop for a moment and pay attention to his words. "We're more alike than I thought."

She seemed troubled by his words and closed her eyes for only a moment before raising the gun to his head. "I'll see you in hell."

She pulled the trigger and I watched as the bullet went into his skull. He hit the ground and died with anything but a peaceful expression on his face. She dropped the gun and ran to me, tears sliding down her face freely.

She tore her shirt and rapped it around my leg. "I'm so sorry. I was trying to avoid this. I knew this would happen. I'm so sorry."

As soon as the shirt was tied around my leg, I pulled her to me and let her bury her face in my chest. Her arms immediately wrapped around me and I kissed her hair, breathing in the scent of it.

"You just saved my life, Bex." I told her and I heard her choking sob along with footsteps and various voices of the team upstairs.

"I love you." She said and I felt my heart skip a beat.

I gently moved away from her embrace to look at her and smiled. "Bexley."

She kissed my lips before placing kisses on my nose, cheeks, and forehead saying "I love you" between every kiss.

I saw the team on the stairs and put my arms around her tightly before casting them a smile.

Rossi grinned then and said "It's about time."

Hotch had a troubled expression as he saw Chris's dead body on the floor. He left the room and I hugged Bexley closer to me. I knew the moment Bexley killed Chris there would be legal troubles to come with the decision. Our troubles weren't over yet but for the moment, I was going to hold her in my arms.

 *****Well… HE'S DEAD! Bexley doesn't have to be afraid of her dad any more but her mom is still in the picture and now she's got to deal with the legal and emotional consequences of her actions. Anyway, thank you for the reviews, R &R, and thank you for reading. **


	30. Chapter 29

_~SPENCER POV~_

It'd been two weeks since Bexley killed her father. Two weeks since I'd been shot. Two weeks since I'd been home. I was thankful that this time I didn't need a cane or crutches to walk around but that didn't mean my leg didn't hurt like hell. It had been just enough to knock me on my ass but nothing severe.

Bexley had recovered from the bruises and injuries her father had inflicted on her and as we made our way up the stairs, I couldn't help the smile that I couldn't get off of my face as I watched her. She was beautiful, amazing, and bold.

I couldn't help but see her as my guardian angel after that night. I had no doubts that we were meant to be together and I hoped she would see it that way as well. We made our way to my apartment and she carried the small bag of new clothes she had.

She'd left the lock to her apartment at the hospital and I had offered to let her stay the night at mine. I'd earned a few teasing looks from Rossi and Morgan, a smile from JJ and Penelope, and Hotch telling me to not worry about anything tonight. I knew we would have to discuss what happened soon but tonight wasn't that night.

I unlocked the door to my apartment and we both walked inside. I closed the door behind me, locking it in the process.

"Bex." I said and she turned around to look at me. Her golden eyes were bright with happiness and held not the slightest sign of fear. I'd forgotten what I was going to say but I knew exactly what I wanted in that moment.

I walked over and kissed her, pulling her to me. I let my tongue massage hers gently and she tangled her hands in my hair. I wanted to make love to her tonight and, after everything we'd been through, that was what I was going to do.

I didn't see us making it to the bed and she apparently had the same idea. We walked over to the couch and basically fell on it. I moved my kisses to her neck and moved my hands to the front of her button down shirt to her collar before deciding to just pull the shirt apart. The buttons on her shirt flew everywhere but that seemed to be the last thing on her mind as her hand slid down into my suit pants.

I bit down on her neck lightly and closed my eyes as her hand began to stroke my erection agonizingly slow. I moaned lightly as she ran her thumb over the tip. I moved away from her neck and sat upright with her in my lap. Her hand continued to pleasure me as I kissed her lips hungrily and her other hand tangled in my hair.

"Does it feel good?" she asked as we broke the kiss.

"Good doesn't begin to cover it." I said and let my head fall back against the couch.

"Spencer." She said and I looked up at her to see a nervous expression in her eyes. I sat there and waited for her to continue as patiently as I could, despite my present situation. "Do you trust me?"

The question surprised me but I didn't hesitate as I said "Of course, angel."

She blushed at the nickname and said softly "I want to try something."

"I'm yours." I told her and she smiled before kissing my lips and continuing her hand movements. I felt my heart rate speed up and could feel my body letting the sensation take over when she pulled away.

I didn't have time to say anything before she got on her knees in front of me. I felt my heart skip a beat as she took off her bra and her beautiful, perfect breasts fell free. I forced myself to calm down as I looked at her, not quite willing to embarrass myself just yet.

She pulled her hair back into a pony tail before resting both of her hands on my knees. She unzipped my pants quickly and pulled them and my boxers down to my ankles. Slowly, she leaned down and placed a light kiss on my tip. I let out a light moan and closed my eyes for a moment before looking back at her. I couldn't make myself look away from her.

She continued to stroke me for a moment before letting her lips wrap around the head of my very erect member. I watched as she sucked the very tip lightly before slowly taking me all the way in. I closed my eyes then and just focused on the feel of her warm, wet mouth on mouth on me.

She licked the tip again before leaning down and sucking one of my testicles into her mouth. I moaned loudly then and feared for a moment that one of my neighbors would hear. She took me all the way in her mouth again and squeezed my balls lightly; causing me to not be able to focus on anything but the amazing feeling she was giving me now.

"Bex." I gasped and I could feel myself getting close. I didn't really know what she wanted to do or if she'd even thought about the next stop but I wanted to give her a bit of warning. "I'm so close."

She laughed lightly before she began to lick and suck the tip of my hard, aching member. I dug my nails into the couch and threw my head back as my orgasm flooded my senses. I could feel myself emptying into her mouth and she stayed perfectly still until I was done. After that, I opened my eyes to see her swallow my release and I couldn't help the bliss that filled my senses.

"That was definitely an experience." She said and I laughed lightly before pulling her up to me. I kissed her neck before leaning back to look at her.

She rubbed her nose with mine and I said "Thank you."

"Any time, love." She placed a quick kiss on my lips before walking to the bathroom. I watched as she pulled the extra tooth brush I kept out of one of my drawers.

I leaned up off the couch then, stepped out of my suit pants completely, and walked into the bathroom to wrap my arms around her. "What exactly made you decide you wanted to try that?"

"Sloane." She said as she leaned down and spit in the sink. "She was talking to Tyler and the word "blowjob" somehow wound up in the conversation. I asked, she told me what it was, and I decided to try it. That and she said that it was one of the most enjoyable experiences for a man."

I leaned down and kissed her neck before grabbing her bare breasts and rubbing my thumb over her hard nipples. She moaned lightly and pressed her hips against my bare erection. I turned her around and picked her up before walking to the bedroom and throwing her on my bed.

I unbuttoned her jeans and pulled her panties down with them. I slid my hand up to her wet, hot center and let my fingers tease her entrance. She moaned and closed her eyes as I moved up above her. I'd have to return the favor she'd done for me as soon as possible but right now, I wanted to kiss her and feel her around me.

I kissed her roughly and let my tongue sweep the inside of her mouth before our tongues began a fight for dominance. I reached my hand down and began to tease her clit while my other hand helped keep my weight off of her body. She moaned and I took the opportunity to thrust my fully erect member into her tight sheath.

I heard her moan lightly as I moved my hands from her clit to wrap her leg around my waist before moving my hand back down to tease her sensitive nub. I began going at a rough and fast pace as I thrust into her, causing her to close her eyes and moan as I did so.

"Spencer." She moaned and wrapped her other leg around my waist. "Harder."

That one word caused me to lose any touch of humanity I had and let the animalistic part of my mind take over. I began to truly fuck her in that moment and found that it was amazing to be able to let go.

I felt her nails bite into my back and watched as her eyes closed tightly in pure bliss as she exploded around my hard erection. I began to thrust faster into her and she cried out as she rode out her orgasm.

I kissed her again and continued rubbing her clit as I thrust wildly into her, my second orgasm nearing. I refused to go alone though and I broke the kiss to lean down and suck her nipple into my mouth.

"Spencer!" she cried out and I felt her second orgasm go through her, causing me to fall over the edge with her. I closed my eyes and stayed perfectly still as I came inside of her before rolling over to my side and collapsing beside her.

After we caught our breaths, I pulled her to me and kissed the back of her neck before saying "I love you, Bexley."

"I love you, Spencer Reid." She said, already half asleep. I closed my eyes and drifted off into a peaceful sleep with the woman I loved in my arms.

 *****Well there is another chapter everyone. I felt like I needed another lemon in the story and I honestly just wanted to give them a chance to be happy together. It's not over yet though! R &R and let me know what you all thought. Thank you for reading. **


	31. Chapter 30

_~SPENCER POV~_

"Hotch, it was self-defense and she saved my life. How can you sit here and tell me that she might go to prison?" I growled and stood from the chair I was sitting in and began to pace around the office.

He looked down at the file papers and said "I understand you are upset but it all falls into the fact that he's dead and I'm not saying it's certain. Her mother is going to have to sit in as a witness and that is where we have trouble."

"This bastard beat her for twenty-two years and now that she's free from him she might go to prison. How is that right?" I asked and slammed my hands down on his desk.

He stood up from his desk then and gave me one of his solemn looks. I was so angry that I couldn't see straight in that moment. "Reid, calm down. They may trial that as a reason for revenge which is why we have to make sure that we do everything we can to show it was self-defense."

"Her mother is going to lie through her teeth if she gets behind that stand. You know that." I said and looked out towards the main room where the rest of the team and saw Bexley talking with Sloane. She laughed at something and I couldn't imagine losing her after all that we'd been through. To never hear her laugh, to not wake up in her arms, to never see her smile, and to never kiss her again would be too painful and at that moment was all too real.

Hotch sat back down in his chair and said "I know this and that is exactly why we are going to attempt to catch Sasha in a lie. If she's caught in a lie and we prove that she warned Chris ahead of time before the arrest, we can put her away for life on account of accessory to murder, child abandonment, interfering with an arrest, and perjury."

"Hotch." I could hear the hopelessness and fear in my voice but couldn't bring myself to care. "I can't lose her."

Hotch's voice was full of comfort and understanding as he said "I understand. I truly do, which is why we are going to do anything and everything to help. We sent out for her mom today and the rest of the team is going to do everything they can to help. It will be a while for us to put together a trial so don't worry about anything and spend time with her now."

I nodded before walking out of his office and saw her looking at Sloane's hand that was resting on her four month pregnant stomach. On her hand was the engagement ring Tyler had given her last week.

It'd been two months since Sloane found out she was pregnant and a little less than two months since Bexley had killed her father. It was strange seeing the two different paths of their lives but how they tangled together as well. Sloane had become Bexley's best friend and had also been the reason that Bexley had made it to the hospital on time after her father attacked her in the music store.

I was very grateful for her being there for Bexley when I couldn't be and was glad to see her happy. Eleanor stood on the other side of Sloane and smiled when she saw me.

"Don't be so stressed, dearie." Eleanor said and I couldn't help but laugh at the words.

"That's like telling me not to breathe." I told her and noticed that my tone was barely above a whisper.

Bexley rubbed Sloane's stomach once more before getting up and walking over to me. She kissed my cheek before wrapping her arms around my neck. "It's going to be okay. What's going to happen is going to happen."

She pressed a kiss to my lips before I could answer her and decided to simply trust Hotch. As I looked to see Tyler had walked over to Sloane to put a hand on her stomach to feel the heartbeat of his unborn child, I realized there was something else on my mind that I wanted to talk to Bexley about.

"Hey Bex, did you want to hear the baby name we've come up with so far?" Tyler asked and Sloane groaned the moment he said it.

Garcia, JJ, Morgan, and Rossi all looked over from their desk as this was asked and Bexley smiled. "You know I do."

"Ryker Amadeus Hale." Tyler said proudly and I saw shock cross Bexley's voice just as Sloane put a hand to her head.

Bexley seemed to be considering what to say before speaking. "It's unique and definitely not the worst-"

"It's awful but it was Amadeus or Sebastian." Sloane growled and Bexley covered her mouth to quiet the giggle that escaped.

"Is the reason why you didn't want to call him Sebastian because of the possibility of you calling him something else?" she asked and Sloane nodded.

I smiled and said "It suits. Tyler has a love of classical music and you have a love of unique names. Plus, isn't classical music something that you both have in common?"

Sloane smirked at me and her green eyes were bright with irritation and amusement. "You have a point, Einstein. Is that going to be a name option for your kid?"

This caused everyone on the team to start laughing as well as myself but I could see a flash of guilt cross Bexley's face.

"Let's go home." I told her as I kissed her forehead lightly.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

As I sat on the sofa in Spencer's apartment, I couldn't help the nervous feeling that had been with me since the mention of him having a baby of his own. Sloane had meant it as a joke but a million thoughts had rushed into my mind before I'd had time to stop them.

He wanted a baby and I didn't really know what to say. Whether to tell him the truth or not was weighing on my heart heavily in this moment. He walked over and sat next to me before gently kissing my lips.

I nipped his bottom lip before deepening the kiss. I needed the comfort that his kiss provided and I was thankful that he was more than willing to give me this comfort. I grabbed his hand and let my fingers tangle with his.

"I love you." He said softly and I felt my eyes drop to the floor.

I kept my hand in his but couldn't look into his eyes as I felt the words spill from my lips. "I'm worried that's going to change after tonight."

"Bexley, why would that change?" he asked, worry was thick in his tone and it made me feel guilty.

I pulled my hand from his and sat cross legged on the sofa. "Do you want kids, Spencer?"

He seemed puzzled but didn't hesitate to say "Of course I do."

"Spence, I can't have children." I said as tears began to slide down my cheeks. He didn't say anything as he tried to pull me into his arms but I had to say the rest of the truth first. "I'm not sad that I can't have them. I don't want to bring a baby into the world in any way."

I finally looked up into his beautiful brown eyes and wished desperately that I hadn't. Hurt, anguish, and hopelessness crossed his features all at once and guilt began to crush my heart.

"Bexley, if this is about my family's history with schizophrenia..." He started but I couldn't let him think that was what was wrong.

I gently placed my fingers on his lips to keep him quiet before moving them to his cheek. I softly rubbed the pad of my thumb along his cheek as I spoke.

"You would make an amazing father, Spencer. I'm not even worried about your family background because that's something we can work through. I'm worried about my family background." I said and his expression became very confused.

"Spencer, my dad beat me all of my life and my mom abandoned me without a second thought. The only people who were truly worth anything to me were killed or died. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to be my mom." I finished and dropped my hand from his face.

He put his hands on either side of my cheek and carefully brushed away the tears. "Bexley Valerica, you are nothing like the rest of your family. You are strong, beautiful, brave, and would make an amazing mother. If you don't want children, I'm not going to force that on you."

"I don't want to take that away from you." I could barely finish the sentence before I felt a sob choke me.

He pulled me into his arms and I let him this time. "I love you and as long as I have you, there's nothing else I could possibly want."

"I love you." I said and he kissed me before pushing me lightly on the couch.

We didn't make love but instead I just enjoyed the feel of his lips against mine and being in his arms all night long.

 *****Thank you for the reviews on the last few chapters! I hope to more from all of you soon so R &R and tell me what you think. Thank you for reading and have a great day.**


	32. Chapter 31

_~SPENCER POV~_

The next morning when I woke up, I could smell eggs and bacon being cooked on the stove. I ran a hand through my hair and saw that she had had a shower and wore a fresh change of clothes.

"Did you get the key to your apartment?" I asked and she smiled as she brought over two plates of food.

"I did." She said as she handed me a plate. She sat down next to me but I noticed that she was slightly more distant than usual this morning.

"Thank you." I said and I took a bite out of the eggs before smiling. "You're spoiling me you know. I usually go by the coffee shop in the morning. I don't know what to make of the home cooked meals."

She laughed then. "Maybe you'll keep me after all."

I leaned over and kissed her cheek before saying "I love you."

"You sure are saying that a lot lately." she laughed as I leaned in and kissed her neck.

"Only because I love to hear you say it back." I teased and moved my kisses up to her jaw.

She leaned in and gently pecked my lips. "In that case, I love you too."

We finished eating our breakfast and placed our plates on my coffee table. When she tried to get up to take them to the sink, I pulled her close to me before giving her a real kiss.

She leaned into the kiss but didn't fully relax. I pulled away from the kiss and ran my hand through her hair.

"I wanted to talk to you about last night." I said and she wrapped her arms around my neck before laying her head on my shoulder.

"Can't we just drop it?" she asked and I could hear the disappointment in her voice.

I put my hands on her back and let my hands trace patterns along her spine before speaking again. "I just wanted to talk to you about something. Well, I guess technically the right word would be explain."

She moved away from me and towards the other end of the couch. "Reid." She had the slightest tone of irritation in her voice.

"You said you didn't want to be like your mother? That you didn't want to abandon your child? Bex, my dad abandoned me when I was extremely young too. That's why I keep getting PhD's. Hotch once told me that there are several ways for sons to defeat their fathers. It's the same with mothers and their daughters." I said and she looked away from me.

She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling them to her in the process. I wanted to wrap my arms back around her but I knew that she didn't want to be touched in that moment.

"It's not just the fact that I don't want to be like my mom. Spencer, if I was able to get pregnant and I lost the baby, I don't think I could live with myself. Not only would I take that joy away from you but someone else's death would be my fault again. I can't live with that. I can't have a perfect happiness and it be destroyed." She said and I could tell she was getting more and more irritated and I wasn't even sure if it was at me now.

"Bex… is it because of a genetic thing that you can't have kids?" I asked and she ran a hand through her hair.

She bit her lip before saying "No. As it turns out, you can be beaten to the point of infertility."

"It's less than a 20% chance, Bex." I stated and I saw her face drop and a tear slide down her face.

She wiped it away and then dropped her hand back to around her knees. "13% if you want to be exact. My luck has never really been that good."

I didn't really know what to say to her in that moment. I knew that all I wanted was to hold her in that moment. Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed loudly.

I looked at the phone and saw that it was a message from Garcia. "Your mom is on her way."

She nodded and stood up from the couch. I stood up from the couch and pulled her close to me. I let my head rest on top of hers as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

"I'm not ready for this." She whispered and I let my hands trail down her lower back and through her hair.

I kissed her forehead and said "I'll be there with you every step of the way."

"I know you will, Iubirea mea." She placed a kiss over my heart before stepping out of my embrace. Even if it was just the two of us for the rest of our lives, I would be completely content with that.

As long as I had her, I'd never need anything else.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

As we walked in through the doors of the B.A.U., I felt my stomach twist in knots and not just from the fact that I was about to meet my mom. The conversation of children had shaken me to my core.

Spencer, Derek, Aaron, and Dave had all gone up to one of their offices to discuss something about the court hearing in three months and how they were going to handle my mom during court.

Ironically, it was the day before Sloane and Tyler's wedding. I had been told recently that I would be the maid of honor in the wedding and that meant helping plan the wedding. Something I had absolutely no experience with.

She walked in a minute later and sat down in Tyler's lap as he wrapped his arms around her.

"You look about as bad as I feel." Sloane said as she moved to get comfortable in Tyler's lap. She had given up on protesting after he'd pulled her into his lap for the thirtieth time.

I laughed lightly before looking down at my feet. "I'm about to see my mom again. Of course I feel bad."

She laughed then and said "Don't worry. If she messes with you, I'll whip her ass. Pregnant or not."

Tyler arched his eye brow and said "I know you will but I would rather you not put Ryker in danger."

She leaned back and placed a kiss on his lips just as JJ and Penelope walked in with Sasha in tow. She walked right over to me and put her hands on her hips.

"Is it not enough that you are the reason your daddy came back into my life? You had to ruin not only my past but my future as well?" she growled and I was completely confused at this point.

"I haven't got the first fucking idea what the hell you are talking about." I growled back and she flipped her hair.

"You sent a summoning to court to my home explaining why I had to be there. My now ex-fiancé found out about my past and dumped me for abandoning my worthless child!" she threw her hands up in frustration.

I let out a humorless laugh at the statement she'd just made before saying "I like him already but I'm failing to see how this is my fault."

"If you're little whore self wouldn't have been fucking an F.B.I agent, none of this would have happened and my life would be completely peaceful." I watched as JJ's, Penelope's, and Sloane's expressions changed from semi-calm and professional to purely pissed off.

"Not that I am a whore but if I were, it'd be pretty damn clear where I got it from." I growled and stood up to walk away from her.

I felt a sting in my cheek before I'd even registered that she'd slapped me. She had a proud smile on her face and put both of her hands on her hips. "Say something smart now."

"If your goal was to hurt me, you're going to have to do a lot better than that after leaving me with Chris for twenty-two years." I told her and she clenched her fist.

I watched as she prepared to strike but had forgotten about everyone else being in the room. I saw a fist meet with Sasha's nose and saw a very satisfied look on Sloane's face.

"Sloane." I heard Tyler groan but he made no move to help her.

Sasha put both hands over her nose and glared angrily at the four months pregnant biker chick. I rolled my eyes at her. "Did you think I was kidding?"

"Sloane, I learned very quickly when I first met you that if you said something you meant it." I said and she simply shrugged her shoulders.

Eleanor had apparently walked in just as I'd been slapped and rushed over to me. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

I moved away from her hand and stood up from where I'd been sitting. "I'm fine. I'm a lot tougher than I look."

"Lady, you must not have children." Sasha growled and I turned to look at her. "They are a bother and nothing special. Though, I'm guessing since you've never had children you had to get someone's left overs."

I didn't think before my fist connected with her eye and I could see it blackening immediately. "Don't you ever talk to her that way."

She was about to say something else when JJ cut in. Her voice was full of irritation and no sympathy as she said "Get out."

"I'll see you in court." She growled and began to walk out of the room.

Just as she made it to the doors I yelled "Damn right you will!"

I heard laughter from behind me and turned around to see that the sound was coming from Eleanor. I turned around and hugged her, feeling guilt from my mom saying something so horrible to her.

"Nice shot, Bex." Sloane said and this caused JJ, Tyler, and Penelope to laugh.

I looked up to see Spencer, Dave, Derek, and Aaron standing on the balcony above the rest of the room.

Derek laughed and said "Didn't know you had it in you, Pretty Girl."

"Reid, your girlfriend is a badass." Penelope said with a giggle and walked over. She let her arms out in a hug and I returned the embrace.

Eleanor smiled brightly at the exchange and I looked up at Aaron, knowing that he was probably more than a little annoyed at the exchange.

"I think I'll let that one slide." He said and Penelope, JJ, and I exchanged unbelieving looks before laughing.

"This calls for a celebration." Dave stated as he walked down the stairs. "Dinner at my place tonight. Hotch and JJ, bring the kids and significant others. Eleanor, I insist you join us."

I laughed as Dave said this. Spencer walked down the stairs and went to stand directly in front of me while everyone else left. He gently placed his finger tips on my cheek but I just leaned into his hand.

"Relax, I don't bruise that easy." I kissed his palm and was glad to see that it least it appeared like nothing had changed between us.

"Bex." He said my nickname barely above a whisper. I looked up at him and waited for him to continue what he was going to say, my heart taking off.

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my lips before pulling me into an embrace. "You're everything I could have ever wanted."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt an unexplainable amount of joy fill my heart. I don't know how long we stood there but I knew that I could have stayed there in his arms for the rest of my life given the choice.

"Come on, love birds!" Penelope called and we broke apart to join the rest of the team to get ready for dinner at Dave's.

 *****Hey two updates in two days! I hope you are all still enjoying the story and would love to hear from all of you on how you think the story is progressing. A thank you to ahowell1993 for helping be an inspiration for the beginning of this chapter. I had completely forgotten about that scene and when I watched it again I just had to update. R &R and thank you for reading.**


	33. Chapter 32

_~SPENCER POV~_

I sat on the bed after getting dressed for the dinner tonight at Rossi's and watched as Bexley brushed her long red hair and got ready herself. It was one of the most beautiful things about her besides her eyes. Her eyes were warm like honey and sunlight and I fell in love with her all over again whenever I looked into them.

I couldn't help the nervous edge in me this evening. I had thought about the idea for so long and now I couldn't find the courage to ask.

"What's on your mind, lover?" she asked, a smile playing one her lips. As usual, she read me like an open book.

I stood up and walked over to her before pulling her hair up so she could fasten the simple gold chair around her neck. I placed a kiss on her cheek before letting her hair fall and wrapping my arms around her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." I said and she laughed lightly but stayed quiet. "I don't want you to be my neighbor anymore."

Her whole body went stiff in that moment and she moved away from the embrace to look up at me, confusion written plainly across her face.

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked and I shook my head.

"No, of course not." I grabbed the key from my pocket and held it out to her. "I was thinking maybe we could both get used to the idea of waking up together every morning."

She laughed then and gently took the key from my hand, an unbelieving look on her face. "You scared the hell out of me for a minute."

"So is that a yes?" I asked and she closed her hand around the key before wrapping her arms around my neck. My arms immediately circled around her waist again as she laid her head on my chest.

"That's a yes." she laughed lightly and I felt my heart burst with joy. I lifted her chin and kissed her softly.

She tangled her hands in my hair and I pulled her closes to me, memorizing the feel of her body against mine. She was the one to pull away, a light blush covering her cheeks.

"We should go now because if we stay much longer, I don't think we'll make it on time." she said and placed the key in her jeans pocket, a smile spreading across her face. "How soon can I move in?"

"How does tomorrow sound?" I asked and she smiled brightly.

She hugged me again before saying "I love you."

"I love you too." I said and pressed her tightly to me before moving away from her and we made our way to my car to head to Rossi's dinner part tonight.

As we walked into Rossi's house, I couldn't help but smile as Jack and Henry ran towards us. Michael was happily looking around in Will's arms and JJ stood next to him. She smiled when she saw us though and kissed Michael before walking towards us.

"I was beginning to wonder if you guys were going to show up or not." she hugged me before looking at Bexley. "How's the right hook?"

She simply laughed and said "It's fine."

Morgan and Savannah walked in not a moment later and I could very plainly see that she had gotten off of work not long ago. She had dark circles under her eyes but had changed clothes and freshened up her makeup despite this. Morgan kept an arm wrapped around her and kissed her cheek as Hotch walked over to them.

"It's good to see you again." He said and Savannah smiled as she reached a hand out to him.

"Always." She said as she shook his hand. She looked up and smiled brighter when she saw me.

I looked beside me and noticed that Bexley, along with Jack and Henry, were talking with Garcia and laughing over something she was talking about.

"Hey." I said, causing both Morgan and Hotch to look over at me. Rossi walked over not a moment later with a plate full of drinks in his hand.

"Sparkling Grape Juice?" he asked and I laughed as I took a glass. Hotch, Morgan, and Savannah all took a glass as well and a knock sounded on the door.

Rossi walked over and opened the door to reveal Eleanor, Sloane, and Tyler standing in the door. He hugged Sloane before placing, a kiss on Eleanor's hand, and patting Tyler on the back. They all walked in and Savannah smiled up at Morgan.

"Sloane, come meet my lovely girlfriend." He called and Sloane gave him a teasing smile.

She walked over and held out a hand to Savannah while keeping the other hand on her baby bump. "Sloane Carson and it's nice to see you exist."

"I'll take that as a compliment and it's very nice to meet you." Savannah said and shook Sloane's hand. Tyler walked behind Sloane and put a hand over her hand that was resting on her stomach before shaking Savannah's hand.

"Tyler Hale, I'm her fiancé. Derek, what did you say to get her to give you a shot?" he asked and Savannah, Hotch, Rossi, Eleanor, Sloane, and I laughed.

Morgan however rolled his eyes. "We were neighbors and I was also very charming."

"Keep telling yourself that." Savannah said before placing a kiss on his lips. I looked to see Jack and Henry sitting with Will and Michael on the couch.

Henry ran over to me and grabbed my hand. "Come sit with us. Will you show us a magic trick?"

I laughed and couldn't do anything but nod. I walked over and pulled a dollar out of my pocket before grabbing a pen.

"Okay, do you see the spot on his eye here?" I asked and slid it over to the outer circle of the picture. "There's one here as well."

I pulled the pen out and their eyes widened when they saw that the paper hadn't ripped. I could hear laughter at Jack and Henry's amused expressions.

"How did you do that?" Jack asked and I smiled.

"It's a secret." I told them and they both laughed at the answer. I sat across from Will on the couch and he gently moved Michael to his other arm.

I looked at the little boy sleeping in his arms and smiled. "He's getting so big."

"Trust me, I know it. It won't be long before he's trying to walk around. How have you been, Spencer?" he asked and I could tell there was a bit of a concerned tone in his voice.

I looked down and asked "Did JJ tell you about the baby thing?"

He didn't answer but instead just looked a little sheepish. I had confided in JJ when I'd found out about how Bexley had felt about having kids and she had told Will. They didn't keep secrets so I don't know why I was surprised he knew.

"I'm fine." I told him and I truly was now but that didn't mean I'd changed my mind about kids.

Will smiled and asked "Do you want to hold him?"

I laughed and he placed Michael in my arms. Michael yawned and cuddled close to me and I couldn't help but feel a little happier than even normal. There was something about having a baby in my arms that just felt natural.

"Hey." Savannah said as she walked over and sat beside me on the couch. "Hello there." she looked at Michael and smiled brightly.

"I don't know how you do it." I told her and she laughed before looking up at me curiously. "I've never understood how a nurse can work for so long, go on little sleep, and still look ready for anything."

She laughed before saying "Nurse is code for superwoman apparently. It does get exhausting though."

Tyler, JJ, and Will walked over a minute later and I held Michael out for JJ. She carefully grabbed him and moved him so he would be comfortable in her arms before sitting down between Will and Tyler on the couch.

I looked over to see Morgan, Rossi, and Hotch laughing and conversing casually with Eleanor. I also noticed that Sloane and Bexley had disappeared from the room. I looked towards the windows and saw the two of them lying in the grass in Rossi's backyard.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, looking at Tyler. He ran a hand through his black hair before shrugging.

"Bex said she needed to talk to Sloane but that's all I got." He looked out the window and watched the two girls for a moment before turning his attention to Henry and Jack, who were play a card game at the moment.

I pulled my eyes away from them and relaxed into the couch as the rest of the group began talking, trying to ignore the pull on my heart as I watched Michael sleep in JJ's arms.

 *****So there's another chapter. Bexley sure was quick to get away from the little get together. What did she need to talk to Sloane about? R &R to find out. Thank you for reading and for the lovely reviews!**


	34. Chapter 33

_~BEXLEY POV~_

"What's going on, Bex?" Sloane asked as she carefully lay down next to me in the grass. I stared up at the stars as images of Spencer and the kids filled my mind.

"Am I a terrible person?" I finally asked and I didn't have to look at her to see the confusion on her face.

She sat up then and said "What do you mean?"

I felt the tears gently slide down my cheeks and I looked away from the stars to the ground. "He wants kids, Sloane. He wants a baby so bad and I'm not ready. I don't know if I'll ever be ready and I don't even know if I can."

"That doesn't make you a terrible person. Bex, you've been through a lot." she said and I could tell that she wasn't sure of what to say to me in that moment.

I took a deep breath before looking back at her. "What do you think I should do?"

"I'm not sure." She said and put a hand over her stomach. "This is my first time being a mom. I wasn't very happy to find out I was pregnant but now… I can't wait to hold him or her. This baby is the best thing that's ever happened to me besides Tyler."

I felt my next question rising up and it tore my heart apart before I even asked it out loud. "Do you think he'll leave me if I can't have kids?"

"I don't know. I'm not the one you need to ask about that." she stood up and I wiped the tears from my face. "I'm going to the bathroom but I'll be back."

I didn't have time to say anything before she walked off. I laid back and stared back up at the stars, wishing that my grandmother was here with me. She'd know what to do much better than I would.

I heard footsteps and didn't open my eyes as I said "That was the quickest bathroom trip ever."

I heard laughter that didn't come from Sloane and opened my eyes to see JJ standing over me. I sat up quickly and ran a hand through my hair nervously.

"It's okay. Relax a bit." She said and gently sat down on the ground next to me. "Sloane sent me out."

I fell back on the grass and couldn't even hide the frustration I felt. "Of course she did."

"She's just looking out for you, kiddo." I felt a smile pull at my lips at the nickname.

I relaxed a bit before saying "I guess if anyone knows Spencer, it's you."

She laughed before lying back on the grass. When she spoke, I could hear the motherly tone in her voice as well as the comfort she was trying to give. "What's going on, Bex?"

"He wants a baby." I finally told her and she smiled sadly.

"I know. Bex, if you're not ready for a baby, then you're just not ready. He understands that. He's not going to make you do something that you aren't ready for. Can I ask you something though?"

I stayed quiet as I waited for her to ask her question. "Are you worried about Spence being like your dad?"

I sat up then and I could tell that I'd surprised her with my reaction. "No. No, he would never hurt me or his child. He's protected me, been understanding, and kind. He would never hurt me."

She smiled then and I realized that I'd said what I'd felt out loud. I realized then that I truly did trust him and I knew without a doubt he wouldn't hurt me. I thought I'd been trying to convince myself but by saying it out loud, I proved to myself that I had no doubts in him.

"Then what's wrong, Bex?" She asked softly and sat up beside me. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them.

I felt tears begin to sting my eyes but refused to let them fall. "What if I turn out like my mom? JJ, the world is full of hurt and I can't see myself getting lucky enough to have a baby just to let them get hurt. I'd kill someone who hurt my child but what if I wound up being the one who hurt them the most?"

"You're not your mom. You couldn't be even if you tried. You've proven time and time again that you care too much to abandon anyone. Have you thought about therapy?"

I laughed humorlessly and said "I don't really do well with strangers."

She smiled then and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Then how about you talk to me?"

"JJ, I'm not sure that's going to help. You have two beautiful and healthy kids." I told her and I knew that she wouldn't truly understand.

"Bex, my dad may not have beaten me but I had a miscarriage and I had a sister commit suicide. I may not understand the exact situation but we've all got our stories. Derek would be a good person to talk to if you didn't want to talk to me." she said and I immediately got slightly uncomfortable.

I took a steadying breath before saying "I'm sorry. I didn't know about the baby."

"No one did for a while… except Spence." I looked down at my feet as she spoke and tried not to think about my own worries.

I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and looked up to smile at her. "Thanks JJ."

I looked back and saw that Sloane was now sitting on the couch with Tyler, along with everyone else. Spencer was still holding Michael while Henry and Jack were crowded close to him. I could see Derek and Savannah laughing as Hotch made wild gestures with Eleanor, Dave was in the kitchen with Will now and it looked like they were getting ready to sit down and eat.

"We'd better get going. We wouldn't want to upset Rossi by letting our dinner get cold." She said and I couldn't help but laugh at the truth in her words.

I stood up and held out a hand to help her up. We started walking towards the backdoors and she walked a little ways a head of me before turning around.

"One more thing: Spence loves you. He's crazy about you. You're not going to lose him." She gave me a reassuring smile before walking through the doors.

I followed quickly behind her and walked inside to see his smile widen when we walked in. I walked over behind him on the couch and leaned down to kiss his cheek. I heard Michael laugh and looked down to see him smiling up at us.

I made a promise to myself that as soon as the case was over with my mom, I'd talk to him again about having a baby. The more I watched him interact with the boys, the less afraid I was to have a baby. I would do everything I could to not be like my mom and hopefully talking to JJ would make me a little surer of that.

"Come on everyone. Fix yourselves a plate." Dave said as he walked into the room and everyone immediately got up. Will walked over and picked Michael up, a smile spread across his face as he watched JJ help Henry fix his plate. Aaron came over and grabbed Jack before going to help him as well.

As soon as we all sat down with our plates, Dave cleared his throat and we all looked up at him. JJ gave me an approving look and smiled before turning her attention back to him.

"We've all been through a lot these past few months but we've managed to come out on top again. We've shared smiles and we've shared tears. Above all, we've gained a new member of the family. Bexley, you're officially stuck with us." He said and raised a cup full of the expensive grape juice as a toast.

I smiled before placing my hand over Spencer's and gently squeezing his hand. "David, I think that's the best thing I've heard all day."

The team laughed and I watched as several different forms of love filled the room. I saw Derek sitting between Penelope and Savannah, picking and teasing. I saw Dave kiss Eleanor's hand before lightly teasing her about her gray hair. I watched Aaron watch Jack as he and Henry talked about the latest cartoon. Will and JJ held hands as they fed Michael and Sloane smacked Tyler's hand as he tried to grab the last piece of toast from Sloane's plate. I felt Spencer's hand on my knee as he talked with the team and felt my heart flutter at his touch.

Hearing their laughter brought comfort to me in a lot of ways. It was such a change than what I'd known throughout my life. Here with them, it felt like a real family. Love, trust, protection, honesty, and happiness were all around them and it was what a family should be. For the first time in my life, I had a family.

 *****Well that's the next chapter everyone. I hope you are all still enjoying the story. Please R &R and tell me what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thank you for reading.**


	35. Chapter 34

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I rolled over expecting to feel spencer's warm body but came up empty and I listened for a minute before hearing the shower start to run. I opened my eyes and could see his clothes laid out on the foot of our bed.

I smiled as the though occurred to me. This was our bedroom. He'd made good on his promise that three weeks ago, the day after Rossi's dinner, we'd move in together. I hadn't expected him to be quite so serious but I'd enjoyed waking up with him most mornings. I didn't see him a lot due to the cases but every minute I could, I'd spend time with him.

Eleanor had told me to not worry about what was going to happen tomorrow but to focus on the love that could happen today. Every time he would go off on a case, I would worry about my trial that was coming up in less than two months.

Sloane, who would be seven months pregnant by then, had offered to not go on her honeymoon but instead to stay behind. When I'd argued with her about that she'd threatened to reschedule the wedding but much to Tyler's happiness I had argued her to keep the wedding date as planned.

I could see the love in their eyes when they saw each other and despite what was going on, it was time for them to get married. I knew for a fact that Tyler wanted his baby to be brought into a happy and stable home. Despite her indifference to the situation, I knew it was what Sloane wanted to.

I just hoped for the best when my trial came. I was pulled from my thoughts when I felt arms wrap around me and we bounced on the bed. I giggled as I realized that Spencer had seen me deep in thought and had taken the opportunity to scare me by jumping onto the bed. I could feel that he was still wet from his shower and placed my hands over his that were on my stomach.

"How can you be so happy this early in the morning?" I asked and looked at the clock to see that it was a little past seven in the morning.

He kissed my cheek before saying "I have you. Why shouldn't I be happy?"

He placed a few more kisses in my hair, on my cheek, and my neck before finally kissing my lips. I looked over at his clothes on the bed and tangled my hands in his hair before giving him a long, sweet kiss.

When we finally broke apart, I continued to run my fingers through his hair. "You have a case that's going to take a while, don't you?"

His expression immediately dropped from playful to sheepish and he dropped his head to my shoulder. I didn't need any more confirmation than that and kissed his forehead. He sighed and said "Not in the way that you think. It's a kidnapping case but it's also in Las Vegas. I was thinking of staying there for a few days. I was thinking that you could meet me down there after the case."

I raised my eyebrow at him before asking "Is there any particular reason?" He looked sheepish for a minute and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease him. "I'm not going to meet an ex-girlfriend am I?"

"Of course not, Bex." He kissed my lips softly despite his laughter. "Someone I hope you will like."

I moved out of the embrace to sit up in bed as he got dressed. I watched him for a minute before my curiosity finally got the better of him.

"Who?" I finally asked and he turned around to face me as he buttoned his slacks.

His smile was slightly nervous, which really didn't help my nerves, but it was also full of a boyish happiness. "Would you be completely objective to meeting my mother?"

"I'd say yes but considering you've already met my little fucked up family, I don't think I'm allowed to." I laughed lightly and ran a nervous hand through my hair. Another reason was because I didn't know what the outcome of my trial would be and there was no way I was going to meet her from behind bars.

He dropped the shirt he had picked up and sat back on the bed before pulling me into his arms. "She's going to love you."

I smiled and took the time to lie against his bare chest, listening to his heartbeat and allowing it to calm me. I would have loved to stay like that forever but his phone buzzed not a moment later. I fell back on the bed and he laughed before reading the text on his phone. He stood up before slipping on his shirt and sweater vest, a smile playing on his lips. I could tell he was excited about me meeting his mom and I could see that she meant the world to him in that moment but a thought occurred to me then.

"You know I didn't really start high school right? I had to drop out my freshmen year and I haven't been back in a school building since." He gave me a puzzled look and I arched an eyebrow at him.

He sat down to slip on his shoes before asking "Are you worried she's going to think your stupid?"

"Maybe…" I dragged out and I crawled across the bed to wrap my arms around his neck. "I just don't want to be a disappointment. I know you can do better but you're stubborn and ignore the fact. Good mothers are quick to point out the fact that their children can do better."

He turned his face towards mine and kissed my cheek, causing warmth and affection to spread through my body. "She's not that judgmental and a diploma doesn't measure how smart you are."

"Which is why you got one at twelve, went on to college, and have three PhD's and two BA's?" I asked and arched an eyebrow at him.

He sighed in defeat before grabbing his phone before looking at me surprised. "I can't believe you remember that."

I shrugged before saying "I may not have an eidetic memory but I remember the important things… most of the time."

I looked at the clock and almost had a heart attack when I saw the time. I quickly jumped out of bed, grabbed a brush, and ran to the bathroom. I applied my deodorant and perfume before rushing out of the bathroom, brushing my hair as I did so, and going to my side of the closet.

"Did you forget something?" He asked teasingly as I threw a pair of jeans and a t-shirt onto the bed.

I placed the brush on my dresser and began pulling my jeans up before throwing my tank top off and pulling on my shirt. "I didn't forget, I just wasn't paying attention.

He laughed as he asked "What are you late for?"

"Picking out a wedding dress." I looked in time to see his eyebrows rise up in confusion. I laughed before pulling my hair back into a pony tail. "Sloane's wedding dress."

Understanding spread across his features then and he kissed me quickly before rushing out the door. Aaron was definitely going to chew him out but I didn't think Spencer was going to mind it so much this time.

I was going to meet his mom soon and that had me more nervous than I'd ever been. My phone buzzed a minute later and I saw that it was a message from Sloane. I rolled my eyes before rushing off and out of the door.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

"Reid." Hotch started as soon as I boarded the plane and I simply nodded before taking the seat by the window.

"It won't happen again." I promised before waiting on the briefing.

Morgan grinned and asked "Bexley distract you a bit this morning, Pretty Boy?"

I blushed a bit before saying "No. Just a casual conversation about how the average person reacts to meeting someone new. Mainly how they judge, why first impression matter, and…"

"Whatever you say." Morgan teased and I was thankful that he dropped it. Rossi simply snickered at the interaction and JJ sat down next to me, giving Rossi a very motherly look as she did so.

Garcia appeared on the laptop not three seconds later and smiled when she saw all of us. "Did he finally make it?"

"Yes, he did." JJ said and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Hotch cleared his throat and it was back to business.

Images started popping up of a seven year old boy by the name of Lucas Ryan Jacobs, who had been kidnapped in one of the more safe areas of Las Vegas. The reward poster stated what he'd been wearing and the time when he'd gone missing. The boy had a sweet smile, blond hair, and brown eyes. It was possible that the boy favored his father's looks. In genetics at least, most children do.

"Has a ransom been given for the kid?" I asked and Garcia appeared on the screen again, her normally bubbly features not anywhere to be seen.

She began typing and came up empty. "Nada. Which means the sick jerk is probably going to kill him if we don't find him. He's been missing for about a week now but mom keeps getting anonymous calls from the kidnapper. Untraceable phone, different area every time."

"He's taunting her which means he'll kill him soon. We don't have much time so we'll have to take action the second we land." Hotch said and looked to me for a judgement of time.

I thought for a moment before saying "Less than twenty-four hours if we go by the average kidnapping scale."

"This means we need to find him and fast. We'll cover more space if we split up so Reid and JJ, investigate where the kidnapping happened. Morgan and Rossi, head to the police station and see what you can find. I'll go and talk to the family members." Hotch said and we all nodded before looking back at Garcia.

"Family member. Nora Jacobs is a single mom with no family in the next five states. She hasn't had contact with them in the last two years. " We all gave her a puzzled look and then to each other.

I thought for a moment before saying "She's running from something. It's a possibility she knows the kidnapper and it could even be a possible family member."

"Garcia, what does it say about the father?" Rossi asked and she typed quickly.

She sent us more images, these were of a car accident with a man's picture beside it. "Samuel Jacobs died in a car accident two days before his wife and child left their home in Wyoming."

"Thanks Garcia." Morgan said and smiled at her before she closed off.

We'd land in Las Vegas in about fifteen minutes and had to spend every second wisely to save this kid. One wrong move and it was over. We'd have a dead child and the person who killed him still on the loose.

 *****Well that's the next chapter. I have so much more to write for this story and I hope that you are all still enjoying it. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. R &R and have a great day.**


	36. Chapter 35

_~SPENCER POV~_

As we walked closer to the Lucas's uncle's house, I could hear Nora begging for him to leave her son and her alone. As it had turned out, Nora's brother-in-law James had kidnapped his nephew because he deemed her an unfit parent. That was the reason behind the lack of a ransom note.

We made our way and saw that thankfully the back door was open and when we came in there was a knife at Lucas's throat and a gun pointed at Nora. Morgan and I walked over with our guns pointed at James. His green eyes weren't afraid but more determined than anything and I knew then that this wasn't going to be one of the cases that ended well.

"James, my name is Dr. Reid. I'm with F.B.I. We're here to help." I said and gently placed my gun back in my holster and put my hands palms up.

Morgan moved close to me, his gun pointed at James's head. I had hoped that James would turn his gun on me but he kept it on Nora as I tried to talk to him.

"James, please give me my son. I don't want to lose him and I know that you don't want to hurt him." she begged and tears began to run down her face. Her long black hair was all over her face and in her brown eyes held nothing but fear.

"Think of what your brother would want, James." JJ's voice sounded from behind Morgan and I saw that Rossi and Hotch had also made their way into the house with her. He looked at Nora before dropping the knife and Lucas ran to his mother.

James looked up at Nora, tears streamed from his blue eyes and he said "Tell him about his father. Tell him about everything. Tell him about who I used to be and who his daddy was. Take good care of him for Sam."

After that JJ and Rossi escorted them out of the room and outside so they could be taken home. I watched them board the car before James sobbed softly.

"I did all of this to protect him from the one person who would give up everything for him." He let out a humorless laugh before running his hand through his hair. "Now all he's going to remember me as is a monster."

I didn't have time to argue with him before he put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. I watched as his dead body fell to the ground and felt my stomach flip as I heard the Nora Robert's scream echo.

JJ ran in not a minute later, followed by Hotch. I knew that Rossi was still with Lucas and Nora, keeping them from coming inside. "Morgan! Reid!" Hotch's voice echoed up the hall.

"Spence!" JJ called and I looked to see the relief on her face when she saw me but sure enough she looked away when she saw James. Suicides were always difficult on JJ due to the fact that her sister committed suicide.

I shook myself away from my own thoughts and walked over to put a comforting hand on her back. I gestured for her to follow me out the door to where Nora and Lucas were. I saw tears down her face as she saw me walk out and I looked behind me to see that Morgan and Hotch were right behind me.

She realized what had happened and dropped to her knees, pulling Lucas to her closely. A choking sob broke from her lips. Local P.D. arrived shortly after that and we all went back to our hotel.

It was dark when we got back to the hotel and we were all more than happy to be away from a case. As we exited our cars and started to head into the hotel, I pulled out my phone. Hotch gave me a question look and saw that the rest of them were waiting on me as well.

"You okay?" Morgan asked and the rest of the team looked slightly concerned.

I nodded before saying "I was thinking about staying for a few more days and visiting my mom."

"And your father?" Hotch asked and I ran a hand through my hair, unsure of the answer.

JJ laughed lightly before saying "It probably hasn't even crossed your mind. Has it?"

I laughed at the assumption but she was right. I hadn't even thought about calling him and I wasn't sure if I should now.

"Plane back home isn't scheduled until tomorrow." Rossi stated before looking back at the rest of the team. "How about we all go to our hotel rooms and get ready to go for a night on the town?"

JJ nodded and Morgan smiled brightly. "It's about time for us all to wind down and relax."

Rossi, JJ, and Morgan made their way towards the bar of the hotel and Hotch still had a concerned expression on his face. I put my phone back in my pocket before giving him my full attention.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He simply crossed his arms, keeping his posture professional but I could hear worry in his voice when he asked "How are you holding up?"

I didn't really know how to answer that. This was the second of many kidnapping cases in Las Vegas and child cases always made us uneasy. I bit my lip as I tried to think of something to say but I knew that my silence would only worry him more.

"I asked Bex to come out here tomorrow and meet my mom. She agreed after a good bit of convincing and I was hoping this would help her be a little more comfortable with the idea of the consideration of a baby. After these kidnapping cases, even I tend to change my mind." I told him and I knew that a baby was still something I desperately wanted but it felt like every time I thought of something to coax her into the idea, something worse came up.

"Reid." Hotch said, pulling me away from my thoughts and I looked up at him. His brown eyes were full of understanding and he let his professional mask down when he spoke again. "What you and Bexley need to come to understand is you can't protect your children from anything. Regardless of how hard you try, something can happen in a split second. That doesn't mean you give up on it though. It means you enjoy the time you have."

He paused for a moment and I thought for a moment before I decided to speak. "Hotch; I've seen time and time again that you can't protect your kids from everything. It's impossible but that is the reason why she's so hesitant."

He laughed lightly and said "She's also twenty-two. She might need a little time first. Let her meet your mom and see how things go. She'll come around."

"Thanks Hotch." I told him and he looked down at his phone. I saw Jack's picture and he nodded before picking up the phone.

He walked into the hotel but I could hear him say "Hey, kiddo."

I pulled out the phone and called Bexley but it went straight to voicemail. I tried again and had the same result. I finally closed my phone and walked in to see that the team was still in the lobby and they were all crowded around somebody.

"I missed the Vegas trip last time. There was no way I was missing it this time." Garcia said and I didn't understand how I missed her. Her bright purple and pink dress stood out along with her blue and green jewelry.

She smiled when she saw me and gestured for me to come over to the group. She hugged me quickly before pulling away. "You owe me big time. Just so you know."

"For what exactly?" I asked confused and she smiled before leaning into JJ. JJ smiled before shrugging and I knew then that she knew.

Morgan laughed as Rossi said "Why do you go see what kind of surprise she left in your room?"

I looked at them confused before excusing myself from the group and going upstairs. I heard them laugh at something that was said but didn't know who or what it was and it didn't matter. I walked up to my room and opened the door to find a gift basket on my bed. I saw that it was full of different coupons for several restaurants around Vegas and I couldn't help but feel confused.

I placed the basket on the nightstand beside the bed and I was about to sit on the bed when I heard footsteps behind me. I didn't have time to react before I was pushed onto the bed and the person jumped on top of me, straddling my waist.

Musical laughter echoed in my ears as red hair fell around my face. I could see my shocked expression in the beautiful golden eyes that looked back at me. "Bex, you scared the hell out of me. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

"That was payback for jumping on me before you left." She said before leaning down and pecking my lips. I put my hands on her lower back and pressed her closer to me, enjoying the feel of her body against mine.

She moved away from my lips and began placing several kisses along my neck. I wanted nothing more than her in that moment but I also had some questions for her first. She moved away from me to sit on the bed and I walked over to lock my door.

"Did you hind behind the door?" I asked as I noticed that there wasn't a closet anywhere in the room and she hadn't come from the bathroom.

She laughed as she said "Classic horror movie move. I was just hoping that you didn't open the door to wide."

"I would imagine so. Garcia told me I owed her big time by the way. Any idea what she was talking about?" I asked and looked back to see that she had a sheepish grin.

She bit her lip before saying "There's a reason I'm here a day early. She didn't trust me to come on my own and Sloane can't fly. Tyler wasn't going to leave her, so Penelope made me get my ass on the plane."

"You didn't go easy did you?" I asked and she shrugged before lying back on the bed.

I walked over to the bed and climbed in beside her, exhaustion from the day washing over me. She sat up and I noticed that she had a nervous expression on her face and her body was tense.

I sat up and wrapped my arms around her. "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"I am but that's not what I'm nervous about right now. I know that case was a child kidnapping case and how it ended. Penelope and I headed out early this morning while she was helping you find the location and possible kidnappers." She said and I held her tighter as I waited on her to tell me that she had decided that she'd never have kids. That it was out of the question completely and I was preparing myself to not argue with her.

Instead she stayed quiet and I moved so that I was sitting behind her and pulled her back with me as I moved up against the headboard. "There's something you have to tell me, isn't there?"

She leaned back and kissed my neck before moving so that she was facing me. She pressed her lips to mine and straddled my waist, wrapping her arms around my neck. She gave me just long enough to kiss her back before she backed away and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"This stays between me and you. I haven't even told Eleanor or Sloane because I wanted to not get everyone's hopes up. In case it didn't work." Her voice was stern and she waited for me to nod before she continued. "Depending on how my trial goes, after we give things time to settle down, I was thinking about us trying for a baby. I want to give it a few months after the trial and it also depends on the verdict but I just wanted to talk to you about it."

As her words sunk in, I felt more joy than I had ever felt in my life. She had finally said yes to try for a baby. I wrapped my arms around her tightly and felt a tear go down my cheek. "Thank you, Bexley."

She ran her fingers through my hair and I felt a bright smile spread across my face. She pulled away from me just far enough to look into my eyes and her I could see her bright eyes were cautious.

"Don't thank me, dragă. There's still a good chance that I can't have kids but I can't just not try. I can't watch you around the boys and consciously take that away from you." She said and kissed my forehead.

I smiled up at her before running a hand through her hair. "You're willing to try. That's more than I thought I'd ever get. I never thought I'd find anyone who would want a baby with me. I love you, Bexley Valerica Kirrier."

"I love you too, Spencer." She said before kissing me again. I moved away from her lips to yawn and only then did I realize how exhausted I was.

She kissed my cheek before moving off of my lap to lie down on the bed. She patted the bed and I moved so that I was lying down next to her and pulled her close to me before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep.

 **Dragă- sweetheart**

 *****There's another chapter everyone. I worked on this chapter for a while so I hope it turned out good. Also, if anyone is looking for more interesting stories to read, check out ahowell1993's story Love Takes Away the Pain. I wanted to give a big thank you to tannerose5 and ahowell1993 for the reviews on the last several chapters. R &R and have a great day everyone. **


	37. Chapter 36

_~SPENCER POV~_

As the team and I took a seat at the table in the restaurant part of the hotel, I couldn't help but see that Rossi, Morgan, and Garcia all had dark circles under their eyes. Hotch smiled and asked "How late did you all stay out last night?"

"What time is it?" Garcia asked and I looked down at my watch before realizing that it was a rhetorical question.

Morgan took a long drink of coffee before looking toward Garcia. "Baby Girl, if I didn't know any better I would say you just couldn't handle your alcohol."

She stuck her tongue out him before they started laughing and Rossi looked to JJ. "How was your night?"

"I talked to Will and the boys. I'm ready to be home and they are ready for me to be home." she said and a smile crossed her features. She missed them every time we were on a case and I didn't know how she kept bringing herself to leave them.

Hotch smiled before looking towards the empty chair between me and JJ. He raised an eyebrow before asking "Where's Bexley?"

"She's still sleeping." I told him before taking a sip of my coffee.

Morgan chuckled before asking "Is she trying to sleep in as late as possible hoping you'll change your mind about her meeting your mom?"

I didn't have time to say anything before Garcia asked "What about her meeting your dad?"

I bit my lip and looked down nervously. I looked up at Hotch to see that he was also waiting on an answer and I ran a hand through my hair nervously.

"Reid." Hotch had a note of warning in his voice and I simply shrugged.

I looked down at the coffee cup in my hands and hoped he would let it go. I should have known better.

"Reid, the last time you didn't deal with your issues with your father head on it interfered with your work. It made you unable to focus on a case and made you have a lapse in judgement. I'm not against suspending you when you return to work because I would rather not have a repeat of last time." He paused to look at me before his face turned from business to fatherly. I could see him giving the same expression to his own son. "I'm not saying that you should give him another chance at being your father but after what happened in Texas, I would think you would want to be on good terms in case something happened to either of you."

As he finished what he was saying, I found myself touching the scar on my neck from the bullet that had come so close ending my life. Two millimeters over and I wouldn't have been breathing. JJ put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and Garcia gave a sweet smile.

"One phone call isn't going to hurt." Rossi said and I knew it was his way of preventing an argument.

"Depends on the phone call." I heard a voice say behind me and I immediately felt better hearing her voice.

Morgan laughed and said "It's about time you woke up, Pretty Girl."

JJ moved over a little and Bexley sat down in the chair between us. I could see dark circles under her eyes but regardless she was quick on her feet.

"The less time in the day, the more peace I get. Even if it is Vegas." She lightly nudged me before asking "What conversation did I interrupt?"

Morgan answered quickly and said "That Reid is getting better at his death glares but needs to point them more carefully."

She looked at me confused before I shrugged and took another sip of my coffee. I could see that she was still uneasy after our conversation last night but I could tell that she also felt relieved. I placed my hand on hers and she immediately laced her fingers with mine.

"Te iubesc." She smiled as she said the words and I felt my heart race at her words.

I reacted calmly though and said "I love you too, Bex."

She laughed before saying "That would be the only phrase you picked up."

This caused me and the rest of the team to join in on the laughter. After that the waitress came and we placed our orders for lunch. As soon as she left to take our orders, Garcia turned to Bexley.

"So have you thought about what you are going to wear yet?" She asked and I could hear the excitement in her voice. I knew then that Bexley was more than likely going to be talked into one of Garcia and JJ's shopping trips.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

"I don't know. Probably jeans and a nice shirt." I said and went to take a sip of my sugary coffee.

JJ laughed and said "You can't go meet your in-laws in jeans."

I coughed as my coffee got stuck in my throat and quickly grabbed a napkin. I looked over to see that Spencer's eyes were now wide with shock and I could see a hundred apologies going through his eyes.

When I finished my coughing fit I looked to JJ and glared at her. She gave me an apologetic expression before saying "Sorry."

"In-laws?" I asked confused and turned back to Spencer. "I thought I was just meeting your mom?"

Derek gave Spencer an assuring grin while Aaron seemed to be waiting on Spencer to say something. I looked between the two and Spencer finally relaxed a little before saying "My father lives in Vegas and so there's a probability that we might cross paths."

Aaron's expression relaxed a little whereas Spencer took a sip of his coffee to keep his expression calm. I had definitely missed something and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I thought you and your dad weren't on speaking terms?" I asked and he shrugged, not willing to answer the question.

Derek cleared his throat before saying "It's a rocky relationship."

"This is why we always expect the unexpected. You never know who you're going to run into." Dave said as he gave me a kind smile. I mouthed the words "thank you" because I could see that he was trying to keep the peace.

He nodded and Aaron smiled at me before saying "Besides, I'd hate for William to miss out on meeting his future daughter-in-law."

I began to wonder if their plan was to make me pass out because the more I hear in-law, the more I thought of marriage, and the more I thought of marriage, the more I wanted to run away. I'd come to the decision of trying for a baby but marriage was something completely different. I'd been hell bent on not having children but marriage just seemed to ruin everything between two people.

Garcia stood up then and said "Alright. Let's go. I looked up some great places for cute clothes."

"I can look up some places with great shoes when we're done. We'll have a girls' day out but we'll be back around four." JJ said as she stood and gave Spencer a reassuring smile when she said the time we'd be back.

Penelope looked down at her bright pink watch and said "That only gives us three hours."

"Isn't that enough?" I asked and Penelope's blue eyes widened in shock.

Derek smiled and said "You've never been shopping with Garcia."

"Relax, it'll be fun." JJ said and I smiled at her despite the fact that my stomach had turned into knots.

Penelope got up from her chair and said "We need every second we can get. Get your cute butt in gear, Bexley."

She grabbed her purse and pulled her car keys from her bag. I looked at JJ and we both laughed at Penelope's seriousness about the shopping trip. JJ said her goodbyes to the team and walked out after Penelope while I stayed behind for a minute.

I looked back at Dave, Aaron, Derek, and Spencer before walking over and wrapping my arms around his neck from behind while he was still seated in his chair. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can say to get you to change your mind?"

He laughed and said "The more you prolong it, the worse it will be."

I internally groaned but laughed and kissed his cheek before rushing to catch up with JJ and Penelope. I could hear their laughter as Penelope called for me to hurry up again and couldn't help but join in on the laughter.

 *****Time is getting closes and closer for Bexley to meet Spencer's family. Not to mention bonding time between the girls and what's all this talk of in-laws? R &R and I hope everyone is still enjoying the story. **


	38. Chapter 37

_~SPENCER POV~_

As soon as Bexley was out of sight, I looked to the Rossi, Morgan, and Hotch before asking "Would you be willing to help me with something?"

"Absolutely." Rossi said and I felt my heart lighten a little bit. I was nervous, excited, and impatient all at the same time.

Morgan smiled and Hotch asked "What's wrong?"

"I need an engagement ring." I said and their eyes all widened as I said this.

"Reid." Morgan started before asking "Are you sure?"

I nodded before saying "More than I've ever been sure of anything."

"That's good enough for me." Rossi said and stood from his chair. "Come on boys. There's a jewelry store not far from here."

The rest of us stood from our chairs and walked out with Rossi. He led us to a small jewelry store that I'd never noticed before despite that I grew up here. I felt my nervousness take over as I walked in the store but I knew I was sure.

"Reid, you know that it's not certain that the trial will go well." Hotch said as we walked in. I stopped in my tracks and this caused Morgan and Rossi to turn back to us.

I smiled before saying "I know. I'm not going to give it to her until after the trial but regardless of how it goes, I'm going to ask her to marry me. I just hope she says yes."

"Bexley doesn't seem like the marrying type." Morgan said as he looked at one of the rings on a small display table.

Rossi's laughter caused all of us to look towards him. "It doesn't matter whether or not she's the marrying type. She loves you and I'd be more surprised if she said no than if she said yes."

"Thank you, Rossi." I said and we walked over to the woman behind the case.

She looked up, brushed her long blonde hair out of her face, and I could see that she wore thick makeup around her blue eyes. I also saw a large diamond ring on her finger and it was then that I didn't have the first clue what I was looking for.

"What can I help you with gentlemen?" she asked and looked between the three of us.

Rossi cleared his throat and said "One engagement ring is all we need."

She nodded before asking "Anything specific and is there a price limit?"

I shook my head before saying "I have no idea."

She gestured us over to a selection of very large diamond rings and as she explained the price and cuts, I couldn't see Bexley being happy over any of them. She wasn't a flashy person and a large diamond would only upset her.

"Do you have something a bit smaller?" Rossi asked and I couldn't help but give a grateful smile.

The woman was about to say something I was sure about us going cheap but Hotch cute her off and said "The young lady isn't a flashy person."

"She's also part Romanian." Derek added and I was surprised that they'd all picked up on these details about her. I was thankful for the help though. I knew Bexley didn't care for flashy jewelry but I wasn't sure if I should bring the Romanian account into her ring.

The woman smiled then and said "This ring is a bit of a one of a kind and got mixed up in our shipping arrangement. It's the only one we have from Romania."

She unlocked one of the cases and pulled out a blue velvet box with a gray crest on top of it. When she opened the box, I knew that this was the ring that was meant for Bexley. The gold band had a single white pearl in the middle of it and it stood out from every other engagement ring in the store. It was simple but beautiful just like her.

"I'll take it." I told the woman and she smiled before leading us to the register.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

"Bex, stop worrying so much. You look beautiful." Penelope said as she grabbed my hands from where I'd been fiddling with my dress.

It was a yellow dress that came down to about my knees, with an empire waist, and had sleeves that came down to my elbows. The silver hoops that we'd bought accented the dress perfectly and my red hair was falling around my shoulders. I'd actually put a bit of makeup on but was careful to not put too much on.

I looked down at the silver flats that we'd bought and tried to calm my breathing. I looked up at JJ and asked "What if she doesn't like me?"

JJ walked over to stand beside Penelope and asked "What if she loves you?"

I smiled before wrapping an arm around each of them. They hugged me back, careful not to wrinkle the dress but I honestly couldn't have cared less.

"Thank you so much." I told them and I pulled away from them to take a deep breath before composing myself completely.

Penelope smiled and said "No problem."

"Spence is here." JJ said as she heard her phone buzz. "You're ready."

I nodded before making my way down the stairs to meet him. I saw that Aaron, Derek, and David were all teasing him about something and that he had a nervous composure about him. I'd almost hoped he'd changed his mind but I buried the thought before walking over.

"You look beautiful." Dave said and this caused the others to look in my direction. I could see Aaron smiling and Derek nudged Spencer in approval. Spencer's expression was as if he'd seen something beautiful that could fade away if you blinked and I felt my cheeks heat up in a blush.

He walked away from the group of men before wrapping his arms around me. "How did I get so lucky?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered "I love you too."

He laughed before grabbing my hand and walking me past the group of agents. I felt nervous as we walked outside but as I leaned in closer to him, I knew I'd be okay.

It wasn't long that we'd been walking to the hospital where his mom was that he got a phone call. He pulled it from his pocket and I could see from the I.D. that it was the hospital that we were heading to.

"Is everything okay?" he asked and I heard the other person talk briefly before he said "Thank you."

After that he hung up and I looked up at him, a nervous feeling washing over me. "Is something wrong?"

"My mom's having one of her episodes tonight. How does dinner sound?" He asked and he looked a little sheepish.

"Spencer, you've seen the worst sides of my family. Seeing your mom at her worst isn't going to scare me away." I told him and even if that wasn't what he was worried about, I wanted him to know that.

It may not have been fully what he was worried about but he did look a little more at ease when I said this. "I just don't want the first time you meet her to be on one of her worst days."

I nodded before giving him a sly smile. "Dinner sounds good."

He laughed and took my hand before leading to the other side of the street. We hadn't been walking very long when I heard someone call his name from a good ways behind us.

I was surprised when he sped up our walking and I finally had to make him stop because I couldn't keep up. "Baby, what's wrong?"

He didn't have time to answer as the man caught up to us. "I was hoping I'd catch up with you. It's getting to be a tradition where you either avoid me or come after me on duty."

I noticed that Spencer was completely calm on the outside but I could feel his hand tightening around mine. I could tell that he wasn't going to say anything to the man so I held out my free hand.

"Bexley Kirrier." I said and I could hear in my voice that Spencer's reaction to this man had made me tense, despite not knowing what was going on.

The man held out his hand and took mine, shaking it only once. He gave me a polite smile and said "William Reid. It's nice to meet you, Ms. Kirrier."

Well… that explained everything.

 *****Well… that was an unwanted coincidence. Reid and his dad are seeing each other again after a long period of time and it doesn't seem to be going so great. I wanted to say thank you to tannerose5 and ahowell1993 for the reviews on my last chapter. I hope you are all still enjoying the story. Let me know your thoughts on the chapter and thank you for reading!**


	39. Chapter 38

_~SPENCER POV~_

"How do you know my son, if you don't mind me asking?" He asked and I immediately pulled her to me.

I looked into his eyes and could hear the anger in my voice as I said "It doesn't concern you. Not anymore, at least."

"Spencer." She said and lightly put the hand that she had at her side on my chest. Her golden eyes looked up at me and I could see that she saw the meaning in my eyes. "We're supposed to meet with Derek and the rest of the team in about five minutes."

I would have to thank her later for lying despite the discomfort that both of us had for it. I didn't look in my father's direction as we made our way back towards the hotel. As soon as we were out of ear shot, she stopped walking and put a hand on my cheek.

"Baby, talk to me." she said, worry clear in her eyes and I leaned down to peck her lips as an attempt to ease this.

I squeezed her hand gently before pulling her along. "I just don't want anything to do with him. I think we've had enough horrible people in our lives for a while. We already have to go to court because of your mom's abandonment. Let's take it one issue at a time."

"Do I still get to meet your mom?" She asked and I laughed at her abrupt change of subject. It was her way of agreeing with me for the moment so we wouldn't argue. I knew she would have questions later but for now, it was forgotten.

I smiled before saying "You're looking forward to it now, so I have no choice."

She laughed and we made our way back to the hotel. I knew Garcia and JJ were going to be a little upset about the events of the evening and the wasted shopping trip but I had the feeling that Bexley was more than likely in store for another one.

When we reached the hotel, she smiled at the sight of the team. I suddenly felt exhausted due to the way my emotions had gone everywhere when I saw my father. I looked at her and saw that she was wide awake.

"Would you be mad if I turned in early?" I asked and she shook her head.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and said "It's been a long day. Go get some sleep and we'll try again tomorrow."

I pecked her lips before making my way to our room. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her walking towards Hotch. I saw a concerned look cross his features before they walked away from the rest of the team.

That couldn't be a good sign.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

"We saw Spencer's dad tonight and I just wanted to be sure that we're doing the right thing by avoiding him. I know the damage that comes with being abandoned by a parent and left in an unstable household, but I feel like we're making a bad call. As rare as it is, people can change." I vented my worries to Aaron as if I'd known him for years and was surprised that out of all of the team, I was looking to him for advice. He was the one who seemed to know Spencer's fatherly issues more than the rest of them though.

He crossed his arms before giving me an apologetic look. "The reason William left his wife and son is very complicated and I know he regrets it every day. You're right in the fact that he has changed and what Spencer doesn't understand is that if he doesn't try to fix things now, he'll regret it later. When a loved one dies, we look back on the things we didn't do and regret them but what keeps us moving forward is the experiences we did have. Reid won't have that if he doesn't try to fix things between him and his father."

"I understand that but I am not going to make him fix things. If anything, it looks like the best thing to do for him is to keep him away from him." I ran a hand through my hair before pressing my hand against my head.

Hotch took a breath before asking "Have you ever noticed a scar along Reid's neck?"

I looked up and raised an eyebrow at him. "What about it?"

"May 2014 we were on a case in Texas involving a rogue cop and prostitutes being whipped and left as public examples after they were murdered." He said calmly and I felt my stomach twist at the thought of it. "He was shot protecting one of our agents and the bullet went into his neck. He almost died on us and the doctors still say it's a miracle he survived. My point is that this job is dangerous and they are both getting older."

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down at the floor before saying "You think because of the near death experience, Spencer should have opened his eyes and forgiven his father."

"No." Aaron said and I looked up at him, confusion written across my features. "I'm saying that he owes it to himself to make sure that when his father dies, he doesn't have the regret of not trying to reconnect with him."

I nodded and decided that this was a fair trade. "Thank you, Aaron. Jack and this team are very lucky to have you."

"I'm here for you too, Bexley." He said and I smiled before putting a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezing.

"Thank you." He smiled and I dropped my hand from his shoulder. "I guess that means I'm going to go talk to Spence. Wish me luck?"

He laughed before saying "If anyone can get through to him, it's you. You don't need luck."

I walked past the rest of the team and headed up the stairs to our hotel room. When I unlocked the door and walked in, I saw that Spencer was fast asleep with a book lying across his chest. I gently closed the door and locked before walking over to him. I picked the book up and placed it on the nightstand so it would be within arm's reach if he wanted it in the morning.

I changed out of my dress and into my pajamas before crawling into bed next to him. I laid down on the bed and felt him turn over, wrapping his arms around me. He buried his face in my hair and I could hear that he was still sleeping. It made me smile knowing that he wanted to be close to me even when he was sleeping.

I hoped he would still want me this close when I asked him to mend the relationship with father. Abandonment wasn't an easy thing to get over but the thought of him regretting not fixing things with his father and living with that was a misery I would try to help him avoid. I wouldn't force him to fix things but I would stand by him, regardless of what he chose.

I fell asleep soon after that and just enjoyed the feeling of his arms wrapped around me through the night.

 *****I wanted to give a big thank you to ahowell1993 for the review on the last chapter. I hope everyone is still enjoying the story so R &R and let me know what you think. Thank you for reading!**


	40. Chapter 39

_~SPENCER POV~_

I'd just finished getting dressed for the day when Bexley walked in with two foam cups. She held a hand out and I took a sip to find that it was coffee, the way I liked it. It always amazed me at how much she paid attention to the details about me. Not once had I told her how I liked my coffee but she'd heard me order it once on a date at the café.

I saw a worried expression on her face and as much as I loved my job, it was easy to ruin relationships with the abilities that came with it. "Bex, what's wrong?"

"I have to talk to you about something." She said and sat on the bed.

I joined her and grabbed her hand, lacing my fingers with hers. "Does this have anything to do with what you and Hotch were talking about last night?"

"It has everything to do with that actually. Please try to be open-minded about this." Her eyes were steady but I could see that she was worried about what was going to happen after this talk and I wished that I'd talked to Hotch about their conversation last night.

I kissed her cheek before smiling at her. "You have my attention."

"I want you to give your father a second chance. Not for his sake but so you can be sure you won't have any regrets in the future. I don't want you to hate yourself for not trying if something were to happen to either of you." She said and I noticed two things. That her voice was steady and her eyes were more suggestive than demanding.

"Bex." I started and lifted my hand to place it on her cheek. She leaned into my hand and I felt my heart beat a little faster. "What brought all of this on?"

"I asked Hoch for advice about your father and he told me about Texas." She lifted her hand and brushed the scar on my neck with her fingers. "I love you, Spencer. So the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy. Just give him a chance so when the time comes, you won't have a regret that could have been avoided."

I decided to push away any anger I should have felt in that moment and laughed instead. If I'd had any questions about whether or not I was making the right choice by wanting to spend the rest of my life with this woman, they were definitely gone from my mind now.

I could see that I'd shocked her with my reaction and she looked very unsure for a moment. I leaned in and gently kissed her before saying "Okay. I'll give him a second chance."

"We're in this together, lover." She told me and I hugged her to me. I couldn't help but enjoy how close she was to me and the smell of her hair but it wasn't going to last long.

Her phone buzzed not a moment later and she moved out of the embrace to grab it. "You're dads on his way. You're sure of this?"

I only nodded, not quite able to trust my voice. In truth, I was more afraid than I had been in a while but I knew that there was logic to Bexley's reasoning. I would give this a shot but I knew that the odds of him changing so much in only a few years, was unlikely.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

As we made our way to meet William Reid, I could tell that Spencer was more than a little nervous. If anything he looked a little nauseated as the meeting got closer. Aaron's words kept playing at the back of my mind and that was the only thing that kept me from grabbing Spencer's hand and leading him back to the apartment we were staying in.

I didn't want to do this but I knew that putting Spencer's needs, regardless if he knew it or not, was more important than anything I wanted. I didn't know exactly what had happened between Spencer and his father but no matter what I did, I couldn't come up with a good enough reason for abandoning a child.

We reached the restaurant that we were meeting William at and I stopped to look at Spencer. I could see that he still hadn't calmed down any and this only made me want to say fuck the situation. Instead, I took a steadying breath and raised my hand up to rest on his cheek. He leaned his face into my palm and I knew that as he looked at me, he could see that I'd been having second guesses about this meeting too.

"I love you." I told him and he smiled, the smile he gave when he was nervous about something. It wasn't one of my favorite smiles but it did settle my nerves a little bit.

He removed his face from my palm and said "I love you too. I'm glad that I don't have to do this alone, even if I was talked into it."

He gave me a cheeky grin and I couldn't help but laugh at this. I was glad to see that he wasn't angry with me. Heaven knows had anyone tried this with me, I may have come unhinged at the thought. I suppose the difference of situations had a lot to do with it though.

We walked into the restaurant and I saw William sitting at a table on his own, a glass of what looked like Sprite next to him. He looked up and smiled at us. I couldn't help but notice the familiarity of the smile and though Spencer wouldn't admit it for hell, their smiles were very similar.

I took Spencer's hand in mine and we made our way over to the table that William sat at. I politely smiled and extended my free hand to him. "It's good to see you again, Mr. Reid."

"William, please." He said and gently shook my hand. He gave Spencer a polite nod and I could tell that neither of them were really sure about what to say. "I'm glad that you two changed your mind about seeing me."

I laughed and said "We had a little persuasion. Also, I would hate to not know Spencer's father."

"I'm flattered." He said and waved a waitress over.

Spencer calmly replied "We'd hate for you to miss the chance to get to know your son and one of the most important people in his life, despite the fact that you made the choice on your own." William was floored for a moment and I couldn't help my own astonishment.

"Can I get you something to drink?" The waitress asked and I couldn't get my thoughts together long enough to order a drink.

Spencer smiled politely and said "A cup of coffee and a Dr. Pepper with a slice of lemon."

Despite my worry over his comment, I couldn't help but smile at the fact that he remembered that I loved lemon with my soda. The waitress nodded and walked off after that.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" William asked and I could feel that my hand had tightened on Spencer's. I'd asked him to not drink around me and had felt guilty for doing so, but it would take a long time for me to get over my fears.

Spencer gently squeezed my hand tighter and said "No, we don't drink."

This caused me to immediately loosen my grip. I looked at him and mouthed a quick thank you. He simply raised my hand to his lips in a quick kiss before setting our hands back on the table. I didn't miss William's smile at the gesture and felt a bit of a blush rise up to my cheeks.

"No alcohol. That's a good rule." He said and then a serious look crossed his face. "Why did you two change your minds about meeting me?"

The waitress brought or drinks over and took our order before walking off again. I squeezed Spencer's hand and gently coaxed him into an explanation for William. He looked down at the coffee cup in front of him and I could see he'd wiped all of the emotion off of his face. It was a look I'd carried for years and couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed as the look covered his beautiful features.

"My Unit Chief thought it would be a good idea to catch up with you after we finished our case." He cast me a look and I noticed a bit of emotion come back into his eyes. Playfulness, clear and simple. "Bexley helped convince me the rest of the way."

I laughed and asked "Why miss out on an opportunity to get to know your family?"

Spencer relaxed a little as his warm brown eyes stared into mine. We turned back to William and he looked at us in approval.

"Thank you, Bexley." He said and I simply nodded. He turned back to look at Spencer and asked "What could she have said to make you change your mind?"

"My Unit Chief reminded me of an even that took place not too long ago and that tomorrow is never certain. I was almost killed in Texas because of a gunshot wound and Bexley wanted me to be certain that I had as little regrets as possible when the time came."

Spencer's reply was more from the heart this time and I was happy to hear that he was giving William a second chance. A real one this time.

 *****Well, I just wanted to say that I am so sorry for the late update. I have been extremely busy but I will hopefully be able to update more often. I hope everyone is still enjoying the story and let me know what you think. R &R and thank you for reading!**


	41. Chapter 40

_~SPENCER POV~_

The dinner progressed better than I would have ever imagined. It was full of all of us laughing and catching up. I couldn't help but thank Bexley for talking me into this. Missing this opportunity would have been a mistake that I would have regretted later and I had a feeling she knew this somehow.

As we made our way out of the diner after paying the check, I couldn't but feel a bit of weight lifted off of my shoulders. I looked over at my father and saw the peace that I felt reflected in his eyes. When I looked at Bexley, I couldn't help but be grateful but I also couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I knew that despite how this court case went, she would carry her father's murder with her for the rest of her life.

I just hoped that I could make it bearable to live with. I would help her in any way that I could and any way that she would let me help her. I thought of the ring that I'd tucked away in my drawer in the hotel room and desperately wanted to see her wearing but I knew that now wasn't the right time.

I knew that if I proposed to her now, she would say that it was because I was worried that court case wouldn't go well and it wouldn't matter how much I argued with her. I let that clear my mind and pulled my phone out of my pocket before taking a calming breath.

"It's time to meet mom." I told her and she smiled sweetly at me. I could tell that she was nervous but running away was a last minute option for her. It always had been and despite the circumstances, I was glad that she'd run away to Quantico.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and let out a shaky breath. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be but if we don't get there soon; I'm probably going to change my mind."

"Two parents in one night is kind of rough, Spencer." William chided gently and I was thankful for the teasing because I felt her loosen up a little.

She turned around with a stubborn look on her face. "Are you saying I can't handle it?"

Her tone was teasing and my father smiled. He looked up at me and then back again at her and said "Don't let that one go. She is exactly what you need."

"I don't plan on it." I said and she maneuvered out of my embrace.

She extended a hand to William and smiled kindly. "It was nice meeting you."

He took her hand and shook it once before saying "Welcome to the family, Ms. Kirrier."

I couldn't help but think of her name when her name changed and smiled because I knew that it would take her some time to get used to it. My father walked over and gave me a quick hug and I found myself okay with the gesture.

"Don't be a stranger, Spencer." He said and I laughed at the irony of it.

I pulled back from the hug and said "Same to you."

As soon as he was out of sight, I leaned down and kissed Bexley, savoring the taste of her mouth against mine before pulling back. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She grinned and wrapped her arms around my neck before kissing me again.

I couldn't help but truly lean into the kiss and I couldn't bring myself to care that we were just outside of a restaurant or that people could see us. All I cared about was the feel of her lips on mine, an addiction that put the one from many years ago to shame.

I laughed against her mouth and she pulled back to look at me confused. "I'm almost tempted to take you back to the hotel room and wait another day to meet my mom."

"Too late." She said with a laugh and grabbed my hand so that I could lead her to the psychiatric ward my mother was currently staying in.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

As we walked into the room where all of the patients were sitting around, one woman in particular caught my eye. She was sitting alone and playing chess, her eyes ever focused on the game. I felt my stomach do a backflip and squeezed Spencer's hand, unsure of what to do and suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"She's going to love you." He said and kissed my cheek softly. I was glad that at least one of us thought this.

We walked over and she must have heard our footsteps because she turned around to look at us. I didn't realize until that moment that I'd let Spencer's hand go and was even keeping a little bit of distance between us.

"I was hoping you would come by soon." she said and hugged him. As he returned her embrace, I couldn't help but see a childlike smile spread across his face.

I smiled at the gesture and when Diana glanced over Spencer's shoulder, I smiled a bit brighter. I knew that I looked cool and collected because I'd taught myself to look that way even when my father was near. It wasn't an easy habit to break and it more often than not betrayed what I felt on the inside.

"This must be the girl you told me about in your letter. It's nice to finally meet you." She said but made no move to approach me, something I was grateful for.

Spencer gave a sheepish smile and said "Yes, it is. This is my mother, Diana. To put it simply, this is my reason for breathing, Bexley."

I blushed lightly and extended a hand to her. "It's nice to meet you."

She smiled and shook my hand. I could feel her eyes looking for something in my own but backing down had never been one of my specialties. I kept my eyes level with hers and she seemed to approve of this because she smiled brighter.

"It's nice to meet you. So tell me about yourself." She said and gestured for us to take a seat on the couch that was next to the chess board. She turned her chair to face us and listened intently as I spoke.

"What would you like to know?" I asked and became instantly nervous.

She thought for a moment before deciding on an answer. "Tell me about your family and your schooling."

I immediately felt the urge to throw up because neither answer was good. Her son had gone to college several times, had an IQ of 187, and was in the B.A.U. I hadn't realized until that moment how stupid I looked next to him.

He squeezed my hand and brought me back to reality. The reality was that he didn't care what was in my head but what was in my heart. That was something I could live with and I would just hope that his mom would come to terms with that.

"I don't know very much about my mom, my father is gone, I have no sibling, and my grandmother is gone as well. I didn't get to finish school because of issues at home. However, I love music and spend a good majority of my time with my nose in a book." I noticed that my voice held confidence and I was thankful for that.

She didn't look too pleased at that point but I didn't let it bother me too much. "What was your favorite subject in school?"

"History." I said honestly and was wondering where this was going.

She smiled then and looked to Spencer. "She may be nice to have around after all."

I smiled as relief spread through my body. I had never thought I would care so much about someone's approval but I wasn't going to change myself for anyone. Diana's smile was so similar to Spencer's that I couldn't help but smile myself.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to be a part of the Reid family.

 *****There is another chapter. I hope everyone is still enjoying reading and I am sorry that it is taking me so long to update. R &R and thank you for reading. **


	42. Chapter 41

_~SPENCER POV~_

It was nearly nine when we left the hospital that my mother was staying in. I was glad to see that by the time we left, she adored Bexley. I had to admit, it was something that I hadn't expected but it was definitely a pleasant surprise. She had hugged us as we left and it was something that I hadn't realized I'd missed so badly. It was nice being able to see my mom and even though it was only for a short while, I had a feeling that we would be making another visit soon.

As we locked the door to our hotel room, I couldn't help but smile as Bexley yawned. She hadn't been getting much sleep and as the time grew closer for her court date, I could tell that she was more stressed than normal. She'd put all that aside the past two days though so that she could meet my family and it was something that I admired about her.

She let her long red hair fall out of its pony tail and she stripped out of the dress. She walked over to the dresser in just her underwear and went to pull out one of my shirts. She didn't really wear anything else except my shirts to sleep in. She'd told me over the phone once that it just made her feel closer to me, something that brought a smile to my face every time I thought about it.

I knew she was tired and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep but I had other plans for the night and hoped she would change her mind. I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist before leaning down and kissing her neck, the smell of her engulfing my senses.

"Spencer." She lightly moaned as I nipped at her neck. She dropped my shirt back on the dresser before wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me with all of the passion she held and I couldn't help but put my all into that kiss.

I'd missed her and I couldn't help but pull her closer to me as I let my hands move to her backside. She had begun unbuttoning my shirt and I reached up to unhook her bra, wanting to feel her bare skin against mine. I let my shirt fall off of me as she undid the last button and she pulled her bra off, taking my breath away immediately.

I wondered for a moment if I would ever get used to seeing her like this or if she would take my breath away every time I saw her. I had read several times in books how the flames died over the years but I couldn't see that happening with us.

I pulled her back into a heated kiss before leading her over to the bed and gently pushing her down on it. Her golden eyes seemed to see into my soul as she looked into my eyes and I couldn't help but notice the brilliant smile that covered her features.

I leaned down and took her nipple into my mouth as I slid my hand down into her underwear, causing her to moan and grab my other hand that was resting on her hip. I let my fingers dive into her wet folds while my thumb rubbed against her sensitive nub. Her hands moved to my back and I felt her nails dig into my skin, something that drove me wild.

I moved to her other breast and sped up the pace of my fingers and watched her shake as her orgasm over took her. I couldn't but smile at the expression on her face and I kissed her softly as she came down from her high.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

When I finally came down from cloud nine, I couldn't help but throw myself into another kiss with Spencer. It had been a while since we'd been able to make love and I wasn't about to waste time. If he wanted to stay up all night, then I wasn't going to argue.

I lifted my leg up and flipped us so that I was on top of him and kissed him before moving away. I gave him a light teasing smile as I slowly slid my underwear down my legs.

"Don't tease, Bex." He said and I could hear that his voice was rougher than usual, a clear giveaway that he was aroused.

I lowered my head down and kissed the skin just above his slacks before rubbing my hand against his clothed erection. I laughed and looked up at him before saying "I'd never tease, Spencer."

I opened the button and unzipped his slacks before pulling them off of his legs so that now all he had on was his underwear. I could see that he was hard and aching for me but I was still slightly sensitive from my orgasm earlier. So I leaned down and kissed him through his boxers, making his hips arch up slightly. I pinned his hips down and kept him completely still before letting my tongue trace the outline through his boxers.

"Bexley." He moaned lightly and the sound sent an electric shock through my body.

I finally gave in and pulled his boxers down before moving so that my wet center was just above his erection. I gently lowered myself onto him and once he was buried to the hilt, I threw my head back at the amazing feeling.

I placed my hands over his chest so that I could ride him and he placed his hands on my hips so that he could thrust into me as I moved my hips. I moaned loudly and could already feel the familiar knot tightening in my stomach.

It wasn't long until he flipped us so that I was on my back and he lifted me leg so that it was on his hip. I moved my other leg so I could lock my ankles and the moment I did, he sped up his pace. He sealed our lips in a hot kiss and I tangled my hands in his hair, wanting him as close as possible.

"Spencer." I moaned and I hoped that the walls to the hotel weren't thin. The last thing I wanted was to have one of the team hear us.

He slid his hands up and cupped my breast, rubbing his thumb over my nipple as he did so. The combination of him pounding into me and playing with my breast was a heated combination, one that pushed me right over the edge into ecstasy. I felt my walls tighten around him and this pushed him over the edge. He kissed me and held me close as he continued to thrust inside of my body, riding out his orgasm with me.

As we lay there in what should have been a moment to laugh and cuddle up to each other, I found myself becoming distant from him. I turned away so that he wouldn't see the worry in my eyes. It didn't work though because he seemed to know when something was wrong with me.

"Bexley, what's wrong?" he asked and I couldn't bring myself to open my mouth to voice my fears. "Talk to me, angel."

"I can't help but think that this is our last night together." I finally said, remembering that we said this would work only if we could trust each other.

He stayed quiet for a moment before pulling me close to him. "Because of the court date?"

"Spencer, I murdered my father. It may have been out of self-defense but it was still murder. No, that's not the only reason." I told him and I couldn't help the guilt at not having told him about this but I figured I would be able to deal with it on my own. I had hoped that the feeling would go away but it only got worse.

He placed a kiss on my cheek, letting me know without words that he was there for me. That was something I'd always wanted and now that I had it, I couldn't accept it fully. He pulled the covers up on us and I could the sound of his heartbeat. It gave me the comfort to voice my thoughts.

"I don't feel as guilty as I should. I'm glad he's dead. After all he did to me and then taking away my grandmother… I just don't know if I'm innocent or not." I told him and I could feel that the rhythm of his heartbeat hadn't changed once.

"Bex." He said softly and I turned to look at him. I was met with warm brown eyes and his hand lightly cupped my cheek so that I wouldn't turn away from him. "What you're feeling is relief. You feel safe for the first time in twenty-two years. You don't have to worry about him anymore and it was self-defense. You also saved my life. You are completely innocent. So wash your doubts away. This is not the last night I'm going to hold you."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead before I laid down on his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. I couldn't help but hope that he was right because I wasn't so sure.

 *****It's getting closer and closer to the court date and doubt is a hard thing to push away. Thank you all for reading and I hope you are enjoying the story. Please voice your thoughts on the chapter with a review and thank you for reading. Have a great day!**


	43. Chapter 42

_~SPENCER POV~_

As Bexley, William, and I sat in the small restaurant, I couldn't help but notice how at ease I felt. I felt more relaxed than I had in years and I was a little disappointed that today would be our last day in Vegas for a while. I listened as my father joked about his business and Bexley quickly offered ridiculous suggestions about how to fix life problems.

It was nice to see her so at ease after all this time. I knew she was still worried about what would happen after we got home but it wasn't on her mind at this time. Right now, she was laughing and tangling her fingers with my own on the table.

"Spencer, I don't think you can do any better. You two complement each other perfectly." William said as he took a sip of his scotch.

I smiled and looked at Bexley, whose expression was one of pride and joy. "I know. I'm lucky to have her."

She smiled brighter before saying "I love you, dragă."

"I love you too." I told her and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I looked at her. Her red hair was in a messy pony tail and her golden eyes were shining brightly. I couldn't help but wonder how much brighter they would shine when all of this worry was behind us.

"Dragă?" My father asked and I hadn't noticed that the nickname that Bexley so often used had been said.

She smiled and turned to my father. "It means sweetheart in Romanian."

My father nodded with understanding and took another sip of his drink. Bexley gently squeezed my hand and I looked in the direction she was looking in to see Hotch walking into the restaurant.

"Reid, Bexley. I was hoping I would run in to you kids." Hotch said and I couldn't help but be slightly annoyed at the kid comment.

Bexley simply laughed and asked "What did I do this time?"

Hotch smiled before saying "For once, nothing. I simply wanted to say goodbye before heading back home."

"We'll be leaving shortly ourselves but we're going to catch the plane for this afternoon." I said and Hotch nodded.

He then looked at my father and said "Aaron Hotchner."

My father held out a hand and said "William Reid. It's nice to meet you. Bexley said you had a hand in my son talking to me again and I'm glad that I get to thank you personally."

"Did she now?" he asked and Bexley shrugged.

"I give credit where it's due." She said and gave me a teasing look. I rolled my eyes and gently squeezed her hand tighter. She leaned over to place a kiss on my cheek before moving back and looking at Hotch. "So I guess that means that we'll see you all tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. Keep Reid out of trouble." He said and gave me a knowing smile.

She gave a teasing salute and said "Aye, aye Captain."

"You have been spending way too much time with Garcia." He said and I laughed at the truth in his words.

He told us goodbye and left the restaurant to board his plane after that. I noticed Bexley's eyes beginning to show signs of exhaustion and I knew that it was because it dawned on her that we would be leaving soon.

I stood from my chair and pulled her with me before seeing that my father had stood up with us. I smiled at him and said "It was good seeing you again. I'll be sure to keep in touch."

"I'll do the same. Good luck to you kids." He said and put an arm around both of us in a quick hug. We broke apart and said our goodbyes before we all exited the restaurant and headed home.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

I sat on the bed and watched as Spencer's packed the rest of his clothes and I felt sick at the thought of going home. Sloane's wedding was coming up in a week and the day after that was my court date. I wanted to have all of my focus on Sloane and Tyler's wedding but my mind was on the court date.

I felt sick to my stomach as I thought about it and wrapped my arms around myself. I tried to focus on the sound of Spencer's footsteps but that wasn't going to work this time. I felt the bed dip next to me and his arms wrapped around me to pull me close.

"It's going to be okay, Bex." I smiled at his comforting words. He had no way of knowing this but I knew that he'd considered every possible outcome and I hoped that the odds were in our favor for once.

I listened to the sound of his heartbeat and let him comfort me in silence. I wanted this to last forever and to not worry about anything but we had a plane to catch. So instead, I stood up and grabbed my suitcase before smiling at him.

"It's time to go. If we miss our plane, we'll have to stay here another night." I said and he smiled.

"Shouldn't you want to stay a bit longer?" He asked and I shrugged.

I kept my expression completely calm as I said "I still have to go over wedding stuff with Sloane and you know how she is. If I'm late, I'm not the only one in trouble."

He laughed lightly before standing up and grabbing his bag and suitcase. He took my free hand and we made our way out of the hotel.

Our drive to the airport was short and before I knew it we were on our way back to Quantico. I dared not to look out the window and was thankful when he'd taken the window seat. I had a mild fear of heights that I wasn't about to try and face today.

I pulled the mp3 player that Sloane had given me out of my pocket and put one headphone in my ear before handing the other to Spencer so he could do the same. I laid my head on his shoulder as Hunter Hayes song Wanted filled my ears and drifted off to sleep.

 *****Hey it's an update. I'm honestly a little surprised myself. So sorry about the long wait but I hope it was worth it. I will be working on the next chapter soon and I hope you are all still enjoying. I apologize if things are getting boring but I assure you that things will be getting exciting very soon. I wanted to say thank you to my review on the last chapter. R &R and thank you for reading. **


	44. Chapter 43

_~SPENCER POV~_

I know at weddings you are supposed to pay attention to the bride and nothing else but that wasn't the case for me. Sloane looked breathtaking in her flowing purple gown and a pregnancy glow that made her completely stunning. Her black roses complimented her dark gown beautifully but as much as I wanted to focus on her, it was the person behind her that had captured my full attention.

Bexley stood behind Sloane in a pale blue dress, her red hair flowing down her back, her golden eyes alight with happiness for the couple in front of her, and in her hands was a bouquet of wild flowers. I couldn't help but be eager for the moment when Bexley and I would say our vows and that she would look at me the way Sloane looked at Tyler.

I could tell that they could only see each other and despite their arguing and differences, they would never want anyone else. As the preacher said for them to recite their vows to one another, we all listened carefully.

"Tyler, you drive me completely insane but without you my life would be in black and white. This would be easier to deal with but I never wanted to spend my life with someone predictable. You are far from predictable and bring a new adventure to my life every day. I may never have Ian Somerhalder but I will always have you. Just like you will always have me… even when you wish you didn't." Sloane finished her vows up with a wink and I saw Bexley bite her lip to not laugh to hard behind her.

There were a couple of light laughs from their families and even me and my team but Tyler just seemed to fall even more in love with her. He smiled brightly as his gray eyes kept themselves trained on her green ones.

He took a steadying breath and said "Sloane, you are my everything. There is nothing in this world I will ever want more than you. I knew from the day we met that my life would never be the same and it hasn't been. You have brought meaning to my life along with a series of headaches. We've been to hell and back these past few years and I thought that I would only have this moment in my dreams. I've never been more happy to be proven wrong. I love you."

They said their I do's, shoved cake in each other's face, and we watched Sloane try and lift her leg up for Tyler to undo her garter, which he threw directly in Morgan's face, something that sent us all into hysterics. I couldn't contain my smile when Sloane had thrown the bouquet and hit Garcia with it.

Sloane and Tyler gently swayed back and forth during their first dance before turning to the crowd. Another slow song started to play and Sloane walked out of sight while Tyler seemed to be coming my way.

"C'mon. Pregnant bride's orders." He said and I followed him out on the dance floor where I could see Morgan and Garcia heading our way too along with Will and JJ.

I bit my lip a little before saying "I really can't dance."

"Then thank God I'm not your partner." Tyler said with a smirk and moved out of my way.

Sloane walked over with Bexley, who seemed to be quietly complaining, and gestured in my direction. She put a hand on her pregnant belly and said "My feet are killing me and just think of this as practice for your big day."

"Sloane!" Bexley yelped and a blush covered her cheeks at Sloane's words. Tyler laughed and led a giggling Sloane off to the center of the dancefloor.

I extended my hand and Bexley smiled before taking it. I pulled her to me so I could wrap both of my arms around her waist and she wrapped both of her arms around my neck, laying her head on my chest.

I could tell that her mind was somewhere else and judging from her stiff posture I was almost certain of where her mind was. "You don't need to be thinking about that right now, Bex."

"How did you…" she started and pulled back just far enough to look at me with a sheepish expression. "You know me too well. Damn profilers."

I laughed and spun her around before pulling her back to me and saying "I don't have to be a profiler to know when something is bother you, lover."

"I only wish I could read you the same." She said sarcastically and I laughed at this.

I kept my eyes on hers and said without the first bit of uncertainty "You can. You normally read me like an open book. I just know that the trial has been weighing on you for a while now and your scared. Everything is going to be okay."

She tightened her hands around my neck and looked up at me sweetly. "Like you said, now isn't the time to be thinking about this kind of thing."

"It's on my mind a lot too, Bex." She laid her head against my chest again as I spoke and I smiled. "Do you remember the last time we danced?"

"How could I forget?" She asked and I felt my heart pick up a bit. "Your heart was racing like it is now."

I smirked and said "It's not racing."

She laughed at the denial and I was glad to hear her laughter. It was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, second only to her heartbeat. I wasn't sure how long we danced but I knew that I could have stayed in that moment forever.

The only moment I could have imagined being better was seeing her in a wedding gown with my ring on her finger. It was a sight I couldn't wait to see but I knew that proposing to her before her trial was over would be a mistake.

I didn't know why but I knew that she would feel like it was out of sympathy or that she would feel like she was taking something away from me. We had today left before her court date. It would be difficult. She would be facing her guilt full on about her father's murder, what truly happened to her grandmother, talking about the abuse she went through as a child, and the lying schemes of her mother.

Hotch and I were confident in the fact that I would be there tomorrow as a witness and, with the help of my eidetic memory, I would be able to lean the jury into finding her innocent. If we could catch her mother in a lie in front of the jury, that would solve two problems in one court. I just hoped we would get that lucky.

It wasn't long after that that everyone was meeting Tyler and Sloane at the door to wish them off. Sloane had refused to go on a honeymoon because she was so far along in her pregnancy and that they would be taking a real honeymoon later on after the baby was born. In truth, that wasn't the only reason though.

Despite Bexley's constant pleas, Sloane had promised to stand by her side tomorrow in court because I couldn't have much to do with her tomorrow because I would be a witness, which meant that I wouldn't really get to see her until after the jury had determined her sentence. Sloane, Eleanor, and Tyler had promised to stay with her every second tomorrow while my team and I tried to think of ways to prove her innocence.

Sloane and Bexley hugged and exchanged a quick goodbye before Sloane rejoined Tyler. We watched as the quickly walked through the shower of rice and into Tyler's black Camaro, or his other wife as Sloane often called it.

After they were out of sight, I grabbed Bexley's hand and she smiled up at me. Her eyes had dark circles under them and I knew that she was ready for a restless night. She would have rough dreams tonight and not be able to sleep much but she was exhausted enough to at least try.

"Let's go home." I said and she gave me a tired smile.

She laced her fingers with mine and said "I'd like that."

We headed home and I knew that I would hold her closer than I ever had that night.

 *****Could it be? Is it even possible? An update? So sorry that it's been so long. I have had a ridiculous amount of writer's block along with being sick again. The next chapter is the trial and I hope everyone is ready for it. I wanted to say thank you for the reviews on my last chapter and I hope to get more lovely reviews for this chapter. I apologize if it is getting a little boring but it will pick back up soon. Anyway… R &R and thank you for reading!**


	45. Chapter 44

_~SPENCER POV~_

I could hear the sound of feet pacing the next morning. I opened my eyes and saw Bexley. To be more precise, I could see a fully dressed Bexley that looked like she hadn't slept at all. I sat up in bed and watched as she talked to herself in Romanian. I had no idea what she was saying, but judging from actions I could tell that she was trying to convince herself to stay calm… and doing a poor job of it.

"Bexley, you are making me nervous. Stop pacing and come here." I told her and she looked over to me. From the look of shock on her face, she hadn't noticed when I sat up from the bed.

She walked over and sat on the bed close to me before laying on my shoulder. "I feel sick."

"It's all going to be okay. We'll be home by dinner time and we'll have the rest of our lives together." I kissed her cheek and continued to hold her close, hoping that I was bringing her some comfort. The possibility of this was minimum but I wanted her to know that I was there for her.

I knew today was going to take it's toll on her and now that it was finally here, I was ready to get this behind us. I wanted to see her smile without worry clouding her features. I played with a piece of her long red hair before she began to move away.

"You have to get ready." She said and I could hear the stress in her voice. I watched her walk out of the room as she left me to get dressed.

I grabbed my cell phone and scrolled until I found Hotch's number before hitting call. I lifted the pone to my ear and waited for him to pick up.

He picked up on the fourth ring. "Hotchner."

"It's Reid. Do we have everything in order? Do we have the okay for me to witness?" I asked and I could tell that I sounded frantic. I knew that I could sound worried with Hotch, it was Bexley that couldn't hear me worried. There was never a way to determine how a case was going to turn out but I had to hope for the best.

Hotch answered, thankfully interrupting my thoughts. "Yes, we have the okay."

"Thanks, Hotch." I said and was about to hang up.

"Reid." He said and I listened. "The key to keeping her calm is acting like there isn't a chance in hell we can lose."

I didn't say anything after that but he hung up after telling me this. I got up and began getting ready for what was probably going to be one of the longest days of my life.

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

As I stood in the court building by a lawyer that I didn't know that was more than likely my only chance of ever being free again, I felt sick and terrified. Sloane sat behind me with Tyler and Eleanor in the defendant area and I could see Spencer as well as the other members of my adapted family in the B.A.U. They were all there for me today but it didn't bring the least bit of comfort. Not today.

My mother walked in wearing all black and a smile on her face. She looked at me with a look of scorn before going to sit in the desk opposite of us. The judge walked in not a moment later and we all stood. The judge announced for us to be seated and looked to me.

"Bexley Valerica Kirrier, you are under trial for the murder of your father, Christopher James Ashburn. How do you plead?" The judge asked and I couldn't help but notice his features. He was an older man with dark hair and eyes. His features were serious but I could see that he almost seemed to hate his job as he looked at me.

I took a deep breath as I realized that everyone's eyes were on me, including my lawyers. I couldn't remember his name but his blue eyes were those of someone eager to help and salt and peppered short hair framed his features and was combed nicely.

"Not guilty, Your Honor." My lawyer said and I had to sit down before I fell on my ass.

He gave permission for my mother to come forward and give her testimony. She hadn't even had time to open her mouth before I heard the word's "lying bitch" whispered behind me.

I turned around and saw a smile on Sloane's face and Tyler squeezing her hand to keep her quiet. I turned back around to look towards the front to where my mother sat. She cleared her throat and wiped a pretend tear from her eye that caused me to roll my own eyes.

"You're honor, I understand that I haven't done the best job raising my child and it's a mistake I'll carry wit me for the rest of my life. It may be to my absence that she turned in to a murdered. It's my job to make sure she's off the streets. Her father was coming to apologize to her that night in the music store. He wanted a fresh start with her and she attacked him." She said and I felt my blood begin to boil.

I found myself not being able to bite back and screamed "What? He came in and attacked so you two could split the fucking money that you thought I had!"

The man next to me squeezed my shoulder to keep me quiet as the judge hit his gavel. "Enough! Ms. Caverly, do you have any proof of your accusation."

"It's my word against hers, Your Honor. The tapes in the music store were destroyed, no doubt by her." My mother said and ducked her head.

My lawyer stood and said "This is news to all of us, Ms. Caverly. How is it that you know this before the rest of us?"

"Your Honor, this are unreasonable questions! We're required to collect any evidence we can and this came up this morning." Her lawyer screamed and the judge hit the gavel again.

He looked between me and my mother and said "We'll take a recess and after that I want you too civil or I'll put you both behind bars."

As soon as the judge dismissed us, I bolted from my chair and made my way out to the courtyard. I could hear Sloane and Tyler following behind me, but I wanted Spencer now more than ever. I wouldn't see him until this afternoon because they were trying to figure out how to catch my mother in her lies but that didn't comfort me right now.

Right now, I wanted his arms around me and for him to tell me everything was okay. I sank down on my knees in the grass and let the tears fall freely. I felt the knots in my stomach tighten and I felt like I was going to be sick. I literally felt sick. I was thankful that it was just Sloane who walked into view. She didn't sit down but instead held out her hand and I grabbed it, thankful for the little bit of comfort she was able to provide.

"That bitch is skilled in lying. She would have made a damn good lawyer if she had half a brain." I knew she meant it as a joke to try and make me a little less stressed but it didn't work.

Instead, I felt tears run down my cheek without my say so. "I don't know why I'm such a mess. I'm never emotion, not like this."

"Bex." She started and waited till I looked up at her again. "This is the day that determines whether or not you spend the rest of your life behind bars. I'd be emotional too but my pregnancy has just made me be a bigger bitch."

"I'm not going to argue with that." Tyler said as he came in to view and I wiped the tears from my eyes. "Our recess is over."

I stood up and it made me feel even worse. I took a deep breath and said "Let's get this over with."

Sloane and Tyler lead me into the courthouse again and I no longer held a glimmer of hope in my heart. I just wanted to hear the verdict so I could stop feeling so sick.

 *****Well, the trial has begun and it is already heating up. Her mother is a lovely character, is she not? Hopefully Spencer and the team will be able to prove Bexley's innocence and put her mother away. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter also. I love hearing everyone's opinions and I am extremely glad to hear that you are all still enjoying the story.** **R &R and let me know what you think.**


	46. Chapter 45

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I walked into the courtroom to see the judge talking to another lawyer. He looked between me and my mother before turning back to the man. I squeezed Sloane's hand and she smiled at me. I knew that everything wasn't okay but her smile managed to make me relax a little bit.

I took a deep breath and looked down at her hugely swollen stomach, feeling my own do a backflip. The judge banged his gavel to get all our attention and Eleanor walked over to us.

We all looked toward the judge as he said "We'll take a three week recess. Another case has come up and we will continue this then or if something comes up, it will be sooner."

I walked out with Eleanor, Sloane, and Tyler behind me. I wanted nothing more than to see Spencer and I wasn't going to stop walking until I found him.

I walked into the courtyard to see Derek, Aaron, JJ, David, Penelope, and Spencer standing in the very center. I sped up my walking and didn't care that I was about to interrupt their conversation. I walked over and wrapped my arms around his neck before placing my lips against his. It didn't take him a second to wrap his arms around my waist and to kiss me back. It was just a quick kiss, but that kiss was what I needed to keep myself calm. I was afraid of how this case was going to turn out and my mother was determined to make my life a living hell and she was going to do whatever she could to put me behind bars.

I pulled away from him to look into his deep brown eyes, the calming affect they had on me immediately taking place. He put his hand on my cheek and leaned forward to kiss my forehead before pulling me in for a hug and looking towards the team again. I didn't listen to their conversation but instead I just listened to the sound of his heartbeat.

I felt sick and exhausted, all I wanted was to go home at this point. I could feel eyes on me and from the discomfort I felt, I knew that they belonged to Sasha. I knew that holding on to Spencer was showing her that she was getting to me but I didn't care at this point. I found my strength in him and at this point, I needed someone to be able to lean on.

After a quick goodbye to the rest of the team, Spencer hugged me close before I realized that it was time for us to go home. We walked to our car and didn't say anything on the ride home. We honestly didn't say anything to each other until we closed and locked the door to our apartment. In a way, I think he knew that I just needed his hand in mine for the evening. I needed his hand to hold so that I wouldn't stumble through my day.

I watched as he stripped down to his boxers before grabbing a set of clothes from his closet. He walked over and sat the clothes on our bed before hugging me to him tight.

"Bex, it's going to be okay. The judge called a short recess because the last thing he wants is violence in the court room. This recess will be good for all of us. The rest of the team is looking for other charges against your dad and they are trying to find any source of footage from that night." He said and I looked down at my hands.

I took a breath before saying "She had all of the footage deleted from the store and there was no one else around that night."

Spencer put a hand on my cheek and waited until I looked to his face to talk. "I know she deleted the footage from the music store but she didn't delete anything from the other stores. If there's something on those tapes, we'll find them."

I leaned forward and kissed his lips softly. I knew he was trying to help but I couldn't fully believe that there was something no those other tapes. In all honesty, I was beginning to lose hope in this trial before it truly began. My mother was a good liar and I knew that despite the countless charges against her and Christopher, there was nothing reported about the abuse.

I was distracted from my thoughts as he deepened the kiss. I tangled my hands in his hair and he laid me down on our bed before moving over me, careful to keep his weight off of me. I broke away from the kiss to breathe but he moved to my neck, leaving his mark on my skin. He slid his hands down into my pajama bottoms before slipping his fingers inside of my wet center and using his thumb to rub my sensitive nub.

I moaned and dug my nails into his bare back as he pushed me closer and closer to the edge. I pulled his mouth back to mine and he began to move his fingers faster inside of me, making my stomach tighten as my orgasm got closer. I moaned his name repeatedly through our passionate kiss and I didn't deny the fact that I wanted him.

He leaned down and nipped my neck, that being the final move to push me over the edge. I felt all of my worry and stress disappear as the waves of my orgasm crashed over me. He continued to draw out my orgasm by moving his fingers until it was over. After that, I laid there panting as he continued to kiss me. He pulled back and smiled at me before kissing my cheek.

"Were you just trying to distract me?" I asked when I was able to find my voice again.

He laughed lightly and said "Yes, I was. The release was well over due and I plan on distracting you as often as possible for the next three weeks."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again before saying "You can distract me as often as you like as long as I can distract you back."

"You can distract me anytime." He said before pulling away from me. I pouted as he pulled away from me and this caused him to laugh. "I'll be back as soon as I shower."

I smiled and said "Hurry back."

He closed the door behind him and I felt nausea wash over me again. I reached for my phone and dialed the familiar number once I heard the water begin running in the shower. I hated to do this behind his back, but I didn't want him to worry about anything more than he was already worried about. I would tell him later but now wasn't the time.

"What's up?" Sloane asked and I could tell from her voice that she sounded a little worried.

"Nothings wrong. I just wanted to ask if I could come over tomorrow while Spencer was with the team." I said and I could hear her laugh. I didn't know what was funny but then again, I probably never would understand Sloane's humor.

She waited a minute before saying "Don't you know that best friends just show up?"

I wanted to smile or laugh or something but all I could do was hesitate. I finally took a breath before saying "Can you get me something before I come over tomorrow?"

"Of course. What do you need?" She asked and waited for the reply.

I couldn't find my words right off the bat and didn't want to ask. I let out a shaky breath before saying "Pregnancy test?"

 *****Oh boy! What a time for a baby to be on the way. Are Bexley and Spencer expecting? How will the case turn out? I hope you are all still enjoying reading the story and I apologize for the ridiculous time between chapters. Between school and work, I am only able to write a little bit at a time. I promise that I will be finishing this story and hopefully it will be soon. I wanted to say thank you for all of the reviews on the last chapter and thank you so much for the continuous support. R &R and have a great day. **


	47. Chapter 46

_~SPENCER POV~_

My eyes were trained on Bexley and Sloane as they walked into the courtroom and I could see that every one of the jury members had their eyes on them as well. Bexley hadn't been sleeping well since the judge had called the recess and I had been spending every moment I could to come up with a way to show that she was innocent and that her mother was lying through her teeth. I'd been waiting on today for weeks and now that it was here, I hoped that it would be enough.

Bexley didn't look my way but I knew that she could feel my eyes on her. She placed a hand on Sloane's baby bump and said something with a sad look in her eyes despite the smile that she forced on her face. Even if I didn't already know, it was easy to tell that Bexley was afraid of how this was going to turn out. The only thing anyone was sure of was that someone was going to be behind bars at the end of today.

The judge called me up to the stand once everyone was seated and I took a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever question Sasha's lawyer was about to throw at me. The man stood up from his seat and gave Sasha a reassuring smile.

"Dr. Reid, what happened the night that Christopher Ashburn was killed? We've all heard so much about this eidetic memory and we're assuming that you could tell us detail for detail what happened that night and it match Agent Hotchner's report on the crime as well as local P.D." The lawyer asked, a smug smile on his face.

I kept my attention on him as I said "My team and I went to find Mr. Ashburn on the account of him being a possible threat to anyone he came across, breaking and entering, and assault. We found him in an old cabin in the had all scoped out the cabin and it had seemed that he'd fled on account of us possibly finding out his hiding area. Ms. Caverly had said that he wasn't the type to run but we all assumed he'd escaped into the woods. I was on my way to find him when saw a latch peeking out from under the carpet that would turn out to be a hidden door."

"Your team fled to the woods and left you in the house on your own. No one noticed you missing?" The lawyer asked.

I shook my head and said "No, we were all too focused on finding him before he could hurt anyone else.

The lawyer smiled and asked "Or was it really just your concern he would run back to Ms. Kirrier?"

The judge hit his gavel and said "That's not important and Dr. Reid is not required to answer that question. The jury will omit the question from Mr. Andrews."

"Continue Dr. Reid." The lawyer I now knew as Andrews said. I watched him curiously and I could tell that he had a wicked trick in his eyes but I had no idea what.

"When I opened up the latch, I found that it was a basement and climbed down the stairs to see if I could find anything. I found a picture on top of a dusty old box. When I leaned in to look it, Mr. Ashburn said it was one of Ms. Kirrie's favorite pictures and that he borrowed it for the occasion." I stopped and let the image sink into everyone's mind while I waited to see if the lawyer would ask another question. When he didn't I continued with my statement. "He put a bullet in my leg not long after I turned around was about to kill me when Ms. Kirrier came in."

"What happened when Ms. Kirrier came in, Dr. Reid?" The lawyer asked. "Please explain the four bullets that the doctors found."

I felt anger spike in my blood and simply said "She saved my life from the man who'd made it his purpose in life to kill everyone she loved before finally killing her."

"She saved your life, huh?" The lawyer asked and smiled sweetly. "You're story is convincing but I have to wonder if any of this has to do with the fact that you two have been sleeping together."

The judge hit his gavel and said "You're out of line, Andrews!"

"Your Honor, I'm simply stating a fact for the jury to consider." He walked off after that and I felt my breath catch in my throat but stood up completely calm as I walked over to my team, unable to bear to look at Bexley's face.

Hotch looked to me and said "You're doing fine and we know exactly how to do this. Bexley's going to be fine but you need to stay focused, Reid."

"It's not going to do any good if you look like we've already lost." Rossi said and JJ simply but a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

Morgan walked over then and said "Son of a bitch is paid to lie, Reid. We knew he'd be good at it."

I simply nodded before sitting down with the rest of the team while they called Sasha to the bench. I felt an enormous amount of anger fill my body but I managed to keep my face completely calm.

Hotch stepped forward and said "Ms. Caverly, were you aware of Mr. Ashburn's intentions with Ms. Kirrier?"

"I was unaware of anything that happened. He said he'd changed and wanted to make up for lost time." She said, the lie came out naturally.

"Were you aware of the fact that Ms. Kirrier had been left money by her grandmother after she'd been out of her father's grasp for a year?" Hotch asked and Sasha looked at him surprised.

She let a fake surprise of "I had no idea."

Hotch spoke quickly as he asked "How much did Christopher agree to give you once he stole the money from Bexley."

"Five thousand dollars." Sasha gasped as she realized what she said and there were murmurs all through the jury. This was the slip up we needed and now we had it. Sasha couldn't even come up with anything to say as Hotch walked away from her.

The judge hit the gavel twice and said "Everyone quiet down. We'll have a fifteen minute recess for the jury to come up with the verdict. Everyone else, stay put."

Hotch walked over and said "We've done all that we can. It's up to the jury now."

I cast a look over at Bexley to see Sloane and Eleanor with smiles on their faces but not a single one on her's. She knew that this wasn't over but I could see that her mind was a million miles away. Eleanor squeezed Bexley's hand gently and this caused her to come back to reality.

The fifteen minutes passed quickly and once we were all seated again, I held my breath and watched as Sloane and Tyler held hands waiting on the verdict while Eleanor kept an arm around Bexley's shoulder, a protective look in her eyes.

"We find Bexley Valerica Kirrier… innocent." I let out the breath I'd been holding and I looked to see the rest of the team smile.

The judge spoke up then "As for you Ms. Caverly, you will serve time for lying under oath."

"Yes!" I looked to see that the excited tone had come from none other than Sloane. Everyone was now standing and Tyler hushed Sloane with a kiss while Bexley and Eleanor embraced. I could see a single tear slide down Bexley's face.

Sasha was lead away in handcuffs and began screaming but no one paid any attention. All I could do was stand up and made my way over to Bexley. I didn't get halfway there when she broke away from Eleanor. She ran to me and threw her arms around my neck before pressing her lips to mine.

I forgot about everything else in that moment and all I could focus on was the feel of her lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close to me, looking forward to the fact that I would be able to kiss her and hold her for many more years to come. This morning's kiss wouldn't be our last and that was all that mattered. I would have her forever now.

"We'll have Dinner tonight to celebrate and you two had better not be late." I broke away from the kiss long enough to look back at Rossi and the rest of the team.

I laughed lightly before saying "We won't be."

 _~BEXLEY POV~_

We'd barely made it inside our apartment when Spencer locked the door while shoving me against the door and pressed his lips to mine. I laughed through the kiss but kissed him back passionately. We were finally free and everything was perfect. Everything was finally going to be okay.

His hands went to the bottom of my shirt and he quickly pulled it over my head along with my bra. He but his hands on my butt and lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist so he wouldn't have to bend to kiss me.

I began grinding my hips up against his and this caused the fire to spread through our bodies. I'm not sure when we made it to our bed or when the rest of our clothes had come off. All I knew was that we were now kissing on our bed and I could feel his erection brushing against my wet center.

He put a hand on my hip before thrusting into my body deeply causing us both to moan. I tangled my hands in his hair and he came back down to kiss me. We both knew this wouldn't last long but that wasn't what mattered right now. The point was that we were together and would be for a very long time.

I moaned as he increased the speed of his thrusts and his hands made their way down to my clit. The double sensation caused me to go over the edge and I dug my nails into his back while gasping his name. He thrusts into me a few more times before moaning and going still. He buried his face in my neck and I wrapped my arms around his as we waited for our breathing to return back to normal.

"I love you, Bexley." He said and I smiled as I heard the words.

He pulled back far enough to look at me and I couldn't help but smile. "I love you too. Always and forever."

He leaned in and kissed me again before asking "Do we have to go to Rossi's?"

"Yes, we do." I said and got up to get dressed.

He smiled and got up to get dressed as well. "I guess you have a point. We did just get the best news today. We were worried about what the jurors would say."

"Actually, that's not the best news you're going to hear." I said and turned around to see his confused expression.

He walked over and wrapped his arms around me before raising an eyebrow. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek before looking deeply into his eyes. "We're going to have a baby."

"What? Bexley, are you serious?" He asked and I could see his eyes beginning to gloss over.

I looked at him stunned and said "Of course I'm serious and I hope those are happy tears."

He pulled me in for another kiss and kept his lips against mine as he said "I love you, Bexley. I love you so much."

 *****They are going to have a baby and Bexley is innocent! Things are starting to look up everyone! They are getting closer and closer to the end of their story. Only a few more chapters left. I want to say that I'm sorry about taking so long to update. I have been extremely busy but I hope the update was worth it. R &R and tell me what you all think. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter and have a lovely day!**


	48. Chapter 47

_~BEXLEY POV~_

As we walked into the familiar setting of David's kitchen, we were greeted with hugs. After saying a few polite hello's to the members of the B.A.U, I made my way over to where Sloane, Tyler, and Eleanor were sitting. I took the available seat next to Eleanor and couldn't help but notice her anxious smile.

"Well, did you tell him?" She asked and I smiled brightly.

Sloane leaned in closer so the rest of the team wouldn't hear what we were talking about just yet. "What did he say?"

I gave her a reassuring smile before saying "He's ecstatic. We're going to tell everyone tonight after dinner."

Sloane rubbed her eight months pregnant belly and said "Just wait. Soon enough you'll be bloated and you'll feel really awkward looking at yourself in the mirror. It's worth it though. Amadeus needs to get here soon."

"He'll be here soon enough and then you'll be asking me why we did this to ourselves." Tyler said and placed a kiss on Sloane's cheek.

"I'm having two grandchildren and I'm eager to meet both of them." Eleanor said and looked between me and Sloane with a smile.

I laughed and said "You'll have to wait on this one but maybe Amadeus will come early."

"Fingers crossed." Sloane and Tyler said in unison which made us all laugh.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see David walking towards us with a smile on his face. "Care to let us in on the joke?"

Sloane leaned back and rubbed her stomach again before saying "It's time for this little asshole to come out and greet the world."

David laughed and said "That I can understand. At least to a degree."

Eleanor smiled and said "Is it time for all of us to gather around?"

David nodded and with that, all of us stood and made our way into the kitchen. A glass of sparkling grape juice sat at on paper towels for each of us and I couldn't help but smile at the sweet gesture. It meant so much to me that the team cared to curb the alcohol around me and had since before they knew why I hated it so much.

Spencer walked over and put an arm around my waist before grabbing the glass in front of me and I followed his lead. He leaned down and whispered in my ear "I love you."

I smiled brightly and let my lips meet his for what was supposed to be a quick kiss. After the kiss, he let his lips linger on mine for a moment and I could feel his smile against my own.

"I love you too, dragă." He was about to lean in for another kiss when we heard someone clear their throats.

We looked to see Derek and Savannah smiling at the two of us. Aaron, however, was the one who'd cleared his throat but he had a teasing smile on his face as well. "Would you two like a more private area to talk?"

I looked down at my glass of grape juice and felt my face heat up immediately. Spencer simply laughed and I had to remind myself that he'd been teased like this relentlessly since we'd started dating. I saw JJ give a small apologetic grin before turning back to David.

"Now that we're all together, I have something to say." David started and all of our eyes went to him. "We've been through so much this year and as it's coming to an end, we've only gotten stronger. We've gained new family members and reunited with old ones. We've saved people we didn't know and we were able to save one of our own. I want to say thank you to the woman in the room who's managed to make a change in all of our lives and bring life back to our doctor. Bexley, thank you."

He held out his glass in an appreciation and the rest of the team followed, saying several different variations of thank you's and agreements. Spencer smiled and I took a drink of my sparkling grape juice.

I took a deep breath before saying "Thank you. All of you, for what you did. I've never had a family until I came here and I'm so glad that you've all welcomed me into your lives. I thought for so long that people were too selfish to think about anyone but themselves. Thank you for proving me wrong."

David and Aaron smiled kindly, Derek and Savannah gestured their glasses to my words, Sloane, Tyler, and Eleanor all grinned knowingly, and JJ said "It's good to have you in our family."

"Our continuously growing family." Sloane said and she looked up at Spencer as she cuddled into Tyler.

Spencer leaned down and whispered in my ear "Can we tell them yet?"

I nodded and looked to all of the team members. I looked from face to face and saw acceptance, love, and friendship in each and every one of them. It was a sight that warmed my heart and I knew that our baby would grow up well loved in that moment from each of them.

"Spencer, I know that face." JJ said and the rest of the team looked at him, waiting on him to say something.

He put a hand over my belly and said "I got the best news yesterday that the woman I love wasn't going to be taken away from me and it was all because each of you were so dedicated to proving that she was innocent. I didn't think my life could get any better until Bexley told me something life changing when we were home."

"Don't keep up waiting, Reid." Morgan said anxiously. The rest of the team were waiting just as anxious to hear what he had to say next.

"Bexley and I are going to have a baby." He said and there were several stunned looks around the table. I felt very self conscious all of a sudden and took their silence as a bad sign. Spencer however stayed perfectly calm and still.

After a few moments of silence, David walked over and kissed me on both sides of my cheek before hugging Spencer and saying "Congratulations."

I felt all of my worries fall away as one by one, we were embraced by the team. JJ walked over and wrapped her arms around me and Spencer in an embrace before saying "You're both going to be amazing. I'm so happy for you two."

"Thank you, JJ." Spencer said and I didn't have time to say anything before I was pulled into another hug by Derek.

He and Spencer exchanged a quick hug before Derek said "The kid better go ahead and get ready for MIT or Cal-Tech because daddy is going to want the best."

I couldn't help but laugh and say "Let's not talk about college yet. I would like to hold my baby first."

Aaron walked over to us next and said "Congratulations. Just know that the kid is going to be spoiled so you might as well get ready for it."

"Spence has only wanted kids since Henry was born so of course he or she will be spoiled." JJ said and I couldn't help but feel my heart swell with love.

Sloane smiled and I knew she could tell that I was getting a little uncomfortable with all the attention and was grateful when she said "Okay, time to feed the pregnant ladies. I get dibs."

This caused all of us to laugh and once we were all seated we were able to make casual conversation and it was nice to be able to relax after so long. Well, relaxed as much as I could with Spencer's eyes on me the whole time. Spencer, Aaron, Derek, and David all exchanged glances throughout dinner and I couldn't deny that it made me a little nervous.

I could feel a talk coming after dinner.

*** **It's an update! I'm so proud of myself. Between school and work it is such a pain to try to sit down and write but I finally got a day off for the holidays and was able to sit down and write. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. I hope the wait was worth it and thank you for being patient. R &R and tell me what you think. Have an amazing day everyone!**


	49. Chapter 48

_~SPENCER POV~_

I walked outside into Rossi's backyard after dinner was over and felt my nerves begin to get worse. I could feel the ring in my pocket and it seemed to get heavier as I tried to get my emotions together. I wasn't used to being this nervous about anything. I was used to being able to use my mind or wits to get out of this situation. I couldn't do that now.

I felt arms wrap around me from behind and I immediately put my hands over her's. I felt a little more relaxed but at the same time she was part of the reason I was so nervous. I was afraid that even after everything we'd gone through and with a baby on the way, there was still a chance that she wouldn't want to spend the rest of her life with me.

"Care to let me in on the secret?" She asked and I couldn't help the smile that came to my face.

I didn't hesitate before I said "I love you."

I couldn't see her face but I was almost certain she was smiling from the sound of her voice as she said "That's no surprise, doctor."

"Bex." I couldn't come up with anything else to say other than her nickname. I'd planned out what I was going to say and how I was going to do this since I got her ring. Now, my mind was completely blank and I had no idea what I was going to say or how I was even going to work up the courage to get on my knee.

I closed my eyes to keep calm and when I opened them again, Bexley had moved so that she was directly in front of me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I leaned down to place a gentle kiss to her lips before placing my hands on her stomach. I was reminded then that our baby was a sign of how much she loved me. She wouldn't be willing to have this baby if she didn't love me.

"Bexley, there is something I've been thinking about since we got back from Vegas and I can't think of a more perfect time to tell you." I told her and pulled away from her.

She looked slightly cautious and like she was ready to run as fast as she could but I hoped my smile reassured her. I pulled the small velvet box from my pocket and took a deep breath before getting on one knee. I opened the box to reveal her simple but elegant Romanian ring and watched her take a deep breath.

"Bexley Valerica Kirrier, I love you more than I ever thought I could. I've nearly lost you twice and the thought of being without you makes me feel like I'll lose my purpose in life. The moment you came into my life, logic disappeared. There was nothing ordinary, expected, or routine in my life because everything changed once I met you. You've made me realize how short life can be and I don't want to spend a second without you. I know our lives won't be perfect but if we have each other and our baby then that is as perfect as I want. Will you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"

I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for her to answer and wanted more than anything to be able to read what was going through her mind right now. I saw a tear slide down her face and I didn't take that as a good sign.

"Yes. Yes, Spencer. Yes, I'll marry you. I love you." She dropped down to her knees to get to my level before throwing her arms around my neck and I somehow ended up on my back with her on top of me.

I slipped the ring on her finger and she gave me a passionate kiss. I put my hands on either side of her face and deepened our kiss. I sat up and she had either of her legs on the side of my hips. We broke away from our kiss reluctantly and she blushed when I looked into her beautiful golden eyes.

I kissed her cheek before saying "I'm glad I asked you in private."

"Me too. Your hair is a bit of a mess." We both laughed at this before we stood up from the ground. I laced my fingers through hers and led her back inside the house.

Sloane simply grinned and said "Alright, Bex. Let me see it."

Bexley and I both looked at her a little stunned but Sloane simply smiled. The rest of the team was in a bit of laughter as well and that was when I realized that everyone had seen what happened outside.

"Congrats, darling." Eleanor said and walked over to hug both of us.

JJ smiled and said "Way to go, Spence."

Garcia smiled and walked over to join in the hug. "You both definitely got a keeper. Welcome to the family officially, Bexley."

"You did good, Pretty Boy." Morgan said and I rolled my eyes at the nickname. Eleanor and Garcia backed out of the hug.

Sloane and Tyler looked at each other lovingly and seemed to be in their own world with each other. It made me smile to see how happy they were and I couldn't wait until Bex and I were in the stage of wedded bliss.

Rossi and Hotch walked over and hugged both of us next. After breaking the hug, Hotch smiled at us and said "Marriage isn't easy but if you two can make it through everything you've been through, the struggles you face will be nothing."

"A man is happiest when the woman he loves is at his side forever. Congratulations, Reid." Rossi said and I knew in that moment that it was true.

As we all sat back down to get dessert, I couldn't help but stare at the engagement ring on Bexley's finger that was resting on her stomach. We were having a baby and going to be married, my life couldn't get any perfect.


	50. Chapter 49

~BEXLEY POV~

I quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom as fast as I could. I didn't get the chance to close the door before I was violently sick in the toilet. I placed my hand over my stomach and reminded myself not to curse at my four month along baby. I let my other hand hold onto the toilet as I continued to puke. I was four months along and JJ had recently told me that I'd been sick more with this baby in four months than she was sick with both of her children, something that wasn't comforting.

I felt hands come behind me and was grateful that Spencer pulled my hair away from my face. I didn't really feel like cleaning the puke out of my hair this morning but both of my hands were currently occupied. I had given up on pulling him away after the sixth time I'd gotten sick. I'd found that it was a lot easier to let him pull my hair back than try to argue with my face in the toilet.

The males of the B.A.U. had found that story quite humorous. Penelope had given me a look of sympathy while JJ offered ways to help with the nausea, none that had been successful yet. Eleanor had told me a few times that the best thing that I could probably do was just let my body have it's way and face the fact that I was going to be sick for my entire pregnancy.

I finally was able to get my face out of the toilet and flushed the toilet before moving to the sink to give my teeth a thorough brushing. I rinsed my mouth out and as I grabbed the towel to wipe my face, I couldn't help but pray that this would pass. Spencer had stayed completely quiet as I'd thrown up and brushed my teeth, which caused me to turn around to make sure he was still there.

"That was attractive." I mumbled and he smiled before hugging me. I couldn't help but notice the little bit of shadow on his face. He'd had to grow accustomed to not shaving as often because we'd found that the smell of his aftershave made me extremely sick. He now shaved when I wouldn't be around for a couple of hours.

He rubbed my back gently as he said "It'll be over in a little less than five moths, love. Then I can shave and you can keep down a meal."

I nuzzled my face in closer to his chest before saying "I miss the smell of your aftershave."

He leaned his face into my hair and I could feel his anxiousness despite his body's calm state and his quiet attitude. He was nervous and excited at the same time. It was hard to figure out which one he was more of.

I leaned my head up to look at him and he smiled before leaning down to press his lips to mine. I was extremely glad that I'd brushed my teeth just moments ago because missing his kiss would have been a disappointment.

Our kiss started heating up a bit and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped when he tangled one of his hands in my hair and the other on my baby bump. I wrapped my arms around his neck before breaking the kiss and staring into his beautiful brown eyes.

"You know we could just stay here and continue this." I said with what I hoped was a seductive smile.

He leaned forward and leaned in to press his lips to mine quickly before saying "You just don't want to hear you were wrong about the baby's gender."

He then walked back to our bedroom before grabbing some clothes and getting ready. I laughed before saying "No, Sloane was right about Amadeus being a boy. I am more terrified of the fact that this is going to decide what the name of our baby is."

He laughed before saying "You've strongly disliked all of the names I suggested. I think you are on your own with this one, love."

He kissed me on the forehead as I said "I don't hate them. I just don't want our child's name to be something ordinary. I want her name to mean something."

"Or his." Spencer added as he started brushing his teeth. He looked back at me and said "Are you wearing your pajamas to the doctor's office?"

I looked down at my clothes and then couldn't stop myself before saying "I was thinking about it."

He raised an eyebrow at me before going back to brushing his teeth. As I searched through my clothes to find something to wear for the day, I couldn't help but think back to when Sloane gave birth to Amadeus.

I'd never heard her cuss Tyler quite so much and it was also shocking to hear her say that if he got her pregnant again, she would divorce him so fast his head would spin and he'd be knocked on his ass before he realized what happened.

I placed my hand over my baby bump and hoped that I wasn't quite that crazy. True enough, Sloane and Tyler seemed to love each other more now than before their baby came screaming into this world but I didn't want to scream through my entire delivery. Sloane was a strong person and she'd screamed the whole time, which made me a little nervous about my own delivery.

I finally decided on a cream colored t-shirt and my pregnancy jeans that I kept having to keep from cringing at. They would have been cute save all the beading on the pockets but I wasn't going to be picky. Eleanor had taken it upon herself to buy me every maternity outfit I now owned. The original plan was to wear plain clothes or Sloane's old pregnancy outfits but I had kept that my own secret to keep from hurting Eleanor's feelings.

Spencer's arms wrapped around me from behind and he laid his hands over my baby bump. I put my hands over his and couldn't help but notice the engagement ring on my finger as well. It wasn't flashy but it seemed to draw my attention to it.

"We're going to be late." Spencer said and I laughed at the thought of it. I was late for nearly everything anymore.

I turned around and grabbed his hand before walking out of our apartment and saying "I promise, I won't be late for our wedding. The rehearsal is a different story however."

His laughter was like the most beautiful music or like finding your favorite book in a place you would least expect it. It was good to hear his laugh but the more I heard it, the more I came to the realization that I would never get tired of it.

When we finally arrived at the doctor's office, the nervousness had finally found it's way into my system and I found myself question my abilities. I was nervous about being a mom and I just hoped that I would be a good one.

I wasn't paying any attention to what the nurse was saying so the cold gel on my stomach was an enormous shock. So much so, that my leg rose up from where it was and had Spencer not had a hand on it, I may very well have broken something.

I watched as she pointed on the screen to the baby's arms and legs before she finally smiled and said "Would you like to know the gender of the baby?"

Spencer leaned down to my side and grabbed my hand before saying "Yes."

She looked back at the picture and said "Congratulations, it's a little girl."

Spencer's smile was enough to make my heart skip a beat in that moment. I'd never seen him so happy and it was a relief to see. I'd had worries that if the baby was a girl, he'd have been disappointed. Looking at him now, I realized that I had been so incredibly wrong.

I squeezed his hand and he took his eyes away from the screen to kiss me softly. He put his hands on my face and twirled a piece of my hair around his finger before saying "We're having a baby girl."

"Yes, we are." I said as I kissed him again.

 *****So I'm alive! I had to get a new computer due to financial issues but wrote a new chapter as soon as I got the chance. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and it looks like Bexley and Spencer will be raising a baby girl. R &R and I'll try to update soon. Thank you for reading. **


	51. Chapter 50

_~BEXLEY POV~_

" _No, please. I'm sorry. I didn't have a choice. I did it for the right reason." I screamed at Spencer as he held our new child in his arms securely. The beautiful child we'd made was now out of my reach and face hidden from me._

 _Spencer looked at me with a cold expression and said "It doesn't matter the reason you did it. The point is that you murdered your father and I won't have my child raised by a murderer. I'm not going to give you the chance to do to our child what your father did to you."_

 _I felt tears sliding down my face and screamed "How can you do this to me? I'm not like him. I could never hurt our child. Please don't do this."_

 _He didn't look me in the eyes again after that. Instead, he turned around and walked out of the door with our child in his arms. I raced after them only to have prison bars block my way and tried hopelessly to pull them open._

" _Spencer! Spencer, please!" I screamed._

"Bexley. Bexley, wake up. Darling, it's only a dream." I heard someone say that was close but far off at the same time.

I bolted out of bed and looked around the room until my eyes focused on Eleanor. Her gray was in a messy bun and I realized that I must've woken her up. I looked down to see my six month pregnant stomach and felt a soft kick.

I looked up at Eleanor and couldn't help myself before saying "I'm so sorry. It was just a nightmare."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked as she gently rubbed soothing circles on my back. My red hair fell around my face and I knew she wouldn't be able to see the terrified look in my golden eyes.

I didn't look her in her eyes as I said "I'd rather not. I'm going to the office to see how much longer the case is going to be. I think I might just be missing Spencer."

She laughed before saying "It's very possible."

I got out of bed and didn't bother changing clothes before locking my apartment door behind me. I heard Eleanor sit back down on the small bed in the living room I'd set up for her to stay in and was grateful for her.

I honestly didn't know where I would be without Eleanor. I can guarantee that I wouldn't have Spencer or our unborn child. The B.A.U. had become family and I wouldn't have them without her either. I think at this point, had I not been brave enough to run away, I might have been one of their cases.

As I walked into the main lobby, I saw Penelope walking around and was glad to see her. Seeing her in the lobby meant that they would be home soon. Penelope had become one of the members I was closest to. Normally, I would go to Sloane but she couldn't really understand what was going on right now.

Penelope wouldn't understand how I felt, but she'd known Spencer for years and that was something that I was thankful for. She knew how he felt and how he was so asking her for advice on him was easy. She was also just an amazing friend to have in my life.

"Bexley." She said before coming over and hugging me. "It's about time you stopped by to say hello."

I hugged her back and laughed lightly. "It's good to see you too. Sorry, morning sickness has kept me home for a while."

She smiled and said "Baby Reid keeping you nauseas? JJ used to eat saltine crackers all the time and it seemed to help a little."

"I've tried. Made things worse. The best thing to do is not eat when I'm nauseas." I told her and she gave me a nod of understanding.

"Bex." She started and I raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look exhausted."

I sat down in the small office chair and took a deep breath. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've been having these dreams every time Spencer leaves and they are causing me to lose sleep."

Penelope pulled up a chair and looked at me with a question in her eyes. "What's the dream about?"

"I keep dreaming that Spencer is going to take the baby when it's born because he's scared I'm going to be like my father." I watched her expression carefully and was surprised to see a soft smile spread across her face.

She put a hand on my hands that were in my lap and said "Bexley, that's your worst fear coming out in your dreams. That's often when our worst fears show themselves and they are usually very irrational. This one is no different."

"Penelope, I can't know that for sure." I couldn't keep the sorrow out of my voice and I didn't realize how much it was bothering me until I spoke the words out loud.

"I can." She said and I looked up at her with a question in my eyes. She lifted my hand that had my engagement ring on it. "He wouldn't have given you this if he thought you were anything like your father. Bexley, Spencer thinks you are the most amazing person on the planet and there is nothing in your past that can change his mind. He loves you."

I smiled and hugged Penelope as her words calmed me to an extent. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now go beat your fiancé home." She said and I nodded before walking out of the room. I pressed the button on the elevator to go down and rubbed my stomach lightly.

I heard the elevator open and was surprised to feel a pair of arms around me. I looked up to see who was holding me until I felt a pair of lips crush themselves to mine. I wrapped my arms around Spencer's neck and the feeling of his lips on mine erased almost any trace of the fears I had felt moments ago.

I pulled back from the kiss to look up at the man I loved and said "So much for beating you home."

"I'm actually glad you didn't. It's been a long case and getting to see you sooner was exactly what I needed." He said with a grin and I couldn't help but feel butterflies.

"Glad I could help." I said and grabbed his hands to place them on my stomach. This caused an immediate smile to spread across his face and our baby to kick.

He looked up at me with a curious expression and said "Have you thought of a name yet?"

"I have." I said as I placed my hands over his.

He raised an eyebrow at me before saying "Care to tell me?"

I leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to his lips before saying "I think I'm going to save that for when she gets here. That way I can be sure it fits her."

"You're making me nervous with the way you are keeping it a secret." He said with a sly grin.

I grabbed his hand and lead him back into the elevator. I pressed the button for the first floor and said "A good lunch and the rest of the day in bed should take the nervousness right out of your system."

He laughed as I pulled out my cell phone and called Eleanor to let her know we would be home soon. In truth, I think that a good lunch and the rest of the day in bed would do us both some good at this point.

 *****It's an update! I wanted to say thank you guys so much for the reviews on the last chapter and I hope you guys are still enjoying. R &R and let me know what you think and thank you for reading. **


	52. Chapter 51

_~SPENCER POV~_

I was sitting at my cubicle writing down the last few details of my part on the case when I looked over at Bexley, who was sleeping on the cushioned bench against the wall close to the exit. I could see the troubled look on her face as she slept and watched as she put a protective hand over her stomach. She was eight months pregnant now and I still had no idea what we were doing for the name of our little girl.

"Something on your mind, pretty boy?" Morgan asked and I looked to see that he had a questioning look on his face.

I looked back over at Bexley and said "She's acting strange and I thought it was just due to the pregnancy but she seems cautious when I put my hand on her stomach now. She's been acting this was since she hit six months and we came back from the case in Brooklyn."

"She's about to be a mom, Spence." JJ said out of the blue.

Morgan let out a laugh and said "Listen to the woman who knows what she's talking about. She's got a point. Bex came from a rough home life and that's had an effect on her."

"She's probably getting more nervous as the time gets closer for her to deliver. She didn't have a good mother and she doesn't know how to be one. The only person who cared about her was her grandmother and…" JJ trailed off on that note. She looked over at Bexley, who despite her sleeping now had dark circles under her eyes.

She'd been having horrible nightmares for months now and when I'd wake her up from them, she refuse to tell me about them. I learned after the last time I asked to not ask again. She'd acted as hostile with me as the night I'd broken into her apartment when she had the nightmare about her father. It was a strange sense of deja vu in a way.

Hotch walked over not a moment later and laid a case file out in front of us. I glimpsed over and saw that it was a case in Chicago, a rough and far away city. I didn't get time to look over it for long because I could hear the sound of whimpering.

"No." I heard Bexley say and I stood up from my chair to walk over to her.

I gently made my way over to her and gently shook her. "Bexley, angel. Wake up, sweetheart."

"No." She said and I was about to speak louder when she started jerking away from me in her sleep. She started shoving my chest and screaming. "No! You can't! Stay away from me! Don't touch me! You can't do this! No!"

"Reid." Hotch said and I could focus on what he said after that because I knew if she didn't quit fighting me in her sleep, she could hurt herself or our daughter. This was something that I didn't want to happen.

"Bexley." I tried a little louder but tried not to shout to startle her out of sleep. I looked towards the bottle of water Garcia had in her hand and said "Garcia, hand me the bottle of water."

She did without a second thought as she looked at my terrified fiancée as I opened the lid and splashed water on her. She jerked out of my grasp and started washing the water out of her eyes but I could see she was trying to not let me see the tears coming down her cheek.

She looked up at me and I realized then that all of my teammates were gathered around us at that point. I looked from Morgan, to Hotch, to Garcia, and finally to JJ. She couldn't hide the tears falling down her face now and stood up from the bench to walk off.

I got up and placed my hand on her arm to try and get her to look at me when she jerked her arm away and said "Not now, Spencer."

I was rather shocked to see her sudden attempt at distance between us. I watched as she walked out of the room, leaving me there with the members of my team. Rossi walked over then and gave me a questioning look.

"What the hell was that about?" He asked and I looked down at my feet.

I let out a sigh before saying "I wish I knew what was going on with her. The baby's due any day now and now she's pushing me away like she did when we first met. I don't know what to do."

"Give her time, Spence. She's dealing with something right now that she wants to handle on her own." JJ said as she placed her hand on my shoulder for comfort.

Garcia gave me a reassuring smile before saying "You know how Bexley is. She's stubborn and likes to do things on her own. Kind of like you, boy wonder."

Morgan laughed before saying "I have to agree with her on this one, pretty boy."

Hotch then said in a serious tone "It's what makes the two of you a good mix."

I smiled and that seemed to be enough to get them to leave the subject alone to think that I drew comfort from what they said. Bexley was stubborn and independent, traits that I admired in her and two of the many reasons I fell in love with her. I knew that she wasn't pulling away from me on purpose but her dreams were giving her no rest and making her cautious around me. She didn't trust me enough to tell me what the dreams were but I desperately needed to know so I could help her.

How were we going to get anywhere if she didn't trust me?

 *****I finally updated! I'm so happy to say this. I've missed writing and finally being able to sit down and write out this chapter is quite an accomplishment to me. I wanted to say thank you for the reviews on the last chapter and for the continued support. R &R and thank you for reading!**


	53. Chapter 52

_~BEXLEY POV~_

As I sat on Sloane's couch while she fed Amadeus, I couldn't help the tears that fell down my face. She sat there feeding her baby and I couldn't help but hold my stomach tightly. I was so worried about losing the family that I know had, I was tearing it apart.

"Are you going to let your bestfriend know what's on your mind or do I have to guess?" She asked sweetly and sat down next to me with her little boy in her arms.

"Sloane." I started and took a deep breath before saying "I keep fucking things up. I'm pushing Spencer away because I'm scared of my child going through what I did."

Sloane gave a sad smile before saying "Bex, you've had no sleep because you've been dreaming of Spencer taking the child with you because of how your mother and father were. You haven't talked about any of this with him and you are still coping with everything that you went through. Bex, I hate to tell you this but you can't do this on your own. You need him to work through the hell that you've been through. The only way you are going to see that you won't end up like your family is by working through this with Spencer."

"The horrible part is that I know you're right." I said before giving her a questioning look. "But how do I tell him that I'm terrified of him taking our child and leaving me because I might turn out like my mother."

She snorted and said "You're not. You're having dreams of him taking your child because of your past. He'd never take your baby away because he knows you're nothing like your mom. He loves you and that definitely helps."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked and she smiled.

She picked up the baby and placed him in the crib before saying "Despite you guys being low on the public display of affection, you are nauseatingly sweet."

I couldn't hold in the burst of laughter that spilled from my lips and felt awful when I woke up Amadeus. She rolled her eyes before picking him up and saying "I'm going to remember this when baby girl Reid gets here."

I took that as my cue to leave and made my way back to the apartment, thinking of Spencer and what Sloane had said. She was right. I knew she was right but I didn't know how to not push him away. I'd pushed everyone away my whole life because I didn't want to get more hurt than I had already.

When I went to check my phone, I found that it was completely dead. I groaned before stuffing it back into my pocket. I was glad to finally open the door to my apartment and relax. I sat down on the couch and rubbed my stomach as I thought about the future.

I then took a deep breath and decided to stop worrying about what might happen and just go find Spencer so I could apologize for the way I acted. I smiled and decided that that was the best way to take care of this.

I went to our bedroom and changed into a pair of pants and a nice shirt before brushing my hair and teeth. I relaxed and put my shoes on but took my time because I knew that I would have to wait for my phone to charge.

I got up off the couch when I had my shoes on to go find something to eat when I heard my phone hit the ground and fall behind the couch. I groaned as I went to pick it up as I tried to lean down with my swollen stomach.

I leaned down to pick the phone up and felt a sudden burst. I reached down between my legs and noticed that they felt wet. I thought back to what Eleanor said and realized that my water had just broken.

"Fuck!" I screamed in frustration as I went to grab my phone again, hoping that there was enough charge to call Spencer.

I felt a sudden pain and groaned as I tried to fight to grab my phone again. I gave up and decided I would have to get one of our neighbors to call him. I gasped as the pain started getting worse.

"Hey Bex, I wanted to come by and check on you before… Holy shit!" Sloane said as she walked through the door with Amadeus. She shifted him to her hip and tried to walk over to me but I waved her off.

"Sloane." I said as the pain seemed to increase more. "Call Spencer. She's ready to get her and I don't think she's going to be patient enough to get to the hospital. The office is closer."

She grabbed her phone and started to dial Spencer's number frantically as I fought to keep calm. It wouldn't be long now.

 _~SPENCER POV~_

"You look lost in thought, pretty boy." Morgan said as he walked over to my desk. I smiled and shrugged but didn't say anything. "She's going to come around. Don't worry."

I looked down at my hands and said "I'm not worried, I'm concerned. The baby is due any day now and she's being more distant than usual."

Morgan was about to say something else when Garcia came rushing into the room, her heels frantically tapping the floor. "Sloane just called and said to get over to your apartment as fast as you can."

I stood up from my chair and asked "Is Bexley hurt?"

"She's in pain but she isn't hurt. She's in labor and they don't have time to get to the hospital because Sloane couldn't get a hold of Tyler." She said and I grabbed my keys before running to my car. I was thankful that I'd not only memorized how to deliver a baby but had actually done so a year before I met Bexley.

I took a deep breath as I sped out of the parking lot because I knew that she would be having the baby soon and where we wouldn't be able to make it to the hospital. I was about to meet my daughter and I couldn't quite shake the nervousness I felt. Delivering a baby was one thing, raising her was another. I just hoped I would be a good father to her.

 *****It's time for baby girl Reid to get here! I decided to update as soon as possible because of how the last chapter was. Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter and don't forget to R &R. **


	54. Chapter 53

_~BEXLEY POV~_

I couldn't help the scream that ripped through my body as another contraction went through me. After it passed, I looked at Sloane and said "Where the fuck is my fiancé?"

She rolled her eyes and said "So impatient."

"You had drugs when you did this!" I screamed and then I heard the door open. I looked up to see Spencer in the doorway with a panicked look on his face.

"Sloane, get some water, a towel, and something to cut the cord with." He said as he walked over to me. "How far apart are the contractions?"

Sloane walked back in with everything that Spencer said and I tried to concentrate on my breathing when she said "About five minutes."

I felt another contraction go through my body and I screamed in pain. Spencer reached up and laced our fingers together as he waited for it to pass. I looked down at him with tears in my eyes.

"I don't know what's been going on lately but I just want you to know that I'm going to be here with you and our baby girl every step of the way. Hell will freeze over before you lose me." He said and I started crying as I looked into his eyes and saw that he meant every word of it.

"I love you." I said and he smiled softly as he squeezed my hand.

He grabbed the items from Sloane's hand before telling her "Hold her hand and get ready to push."

The next while was full of screaming, straining, and quiet all at one time. I knew I was screaming but I couldn't hear myself. The next noise I heard clearly was the sound of a baby crying and I opened my eyes to see a beautiful baby in her father's arms.

She was so tiny and so helpless. She was ours and she was here, something that all of a sudden became very real to me. Spencer cleaned her off before handing her to me.

"She's really real." I said and didn't realize how much love could swell in my heart as I looked at my beautiful child.

Spencer smiled before saying "Statistics say that the father typically can't come to grasp that the baby is real until it's born."

"We're not typical, Spencer." I said and I watched as Sloane picked up Amadeus from crib that she'd placed him in.

Spencer stood before saying "We need to get to the hospital and get you both checked out and get the birth certificate signed."

I agreed and that's exactly what we did. We got to the hospital and me and our baby girl were checked into the hospital for an overnight stay to make sure everything went okay. I couldn't help but laugh as Spencer called each member of the team and I could hear them rushing down to the hospital to see us.

When the finally had my little girl back in my arms, Spencer curled up in the bed beside me and looked down at our beautiful little girl. I could see the smallest bit of red hair on top of her head and she'd been born with beautiful brown eyes just like her father.

"Pretty boy, Bexley, and baby girl Reid." Derek said as he walked in the room. I saw Aaron, JJ, Penelope, and David walk in along with Eleanor and Sloane.

"Tyler working?" I asked and she smiled softly.

She walked over and placed a kiss on my forehead before saying "I dropped Amadeus off with him so I could come see you guys without him crying."

"Much appreciated." Spencer said and I laughed lightly.

Eleanor came over and placed a kiss on my cheek and looking down at our beautiful little girl before saying "She's the perfect mix of both of you, dears."

"She's going to be a heartbreaker when she gets older." David said and gave Spencer a smirk. "That's if she ever dates."

"Not likely with Spence as a dad." JJ said and I laughed as my way of showing agreement.

Penelope gave me an anxious look before saying "You guys are all forgetting something really important."

"What am I forgetting?" I asked and looked at Spencer, who rolled his eyes.

He looked down at our baby and said "What's her name, Bex?"

I smiled and looked between all of them. "I wanted her name to be for someone we both loved and there is huge combination of them. So, I decided to name her after the woman who raised me and Spencer's mom."

Spencer smiled and I kissed his cheek lightly. David gave me a look that was asking me to continue with my explanation.

I took a deep breath and said "I gave her the middle name Eleanor because I wanted her to be named after the woman who introduced me to my future. My grandmother's name Alexandrea and Spencer's mom's name is Diana."

By this point I could see the excitement on everyone's face and couldn't help but feel the laughter build up inside me as every adult in the room looked like a child on christmas morning. The nurse came in with the birth certificate for us to sign.

"She appears to be healthy and happy. What's her name?" She asked as she looked at me and Spencer.

"Diandrea." I said and Spencer smiled a bright smile.

The nurse smiled as we signed our names on the birth certificate and she left afterwards, leaving us all to bond with out baby girl.

The team stayed with us and cooed over our baby girl for a while before home eventually called them home. After everyone left, Spencer leaned over on my shoulder and yawned lightly.

I kissed his cheek and told him "I love you."

"I love you too, Bex." He said as he looked over at our baby sleeping soundly in a little bed. "I can't believe I'm a dad. I never thought this could be a reality."

I smiled and said "You're an amazing man and you are going to be an amazing father. Like you said, you'll be there for me every step of the way."

"You and Diandrea Eleanor Reid." He said and I felt an enormous amount of joy fill my heart.

We kissed softly before fading into a perfectly blissful sleep, a perfect way to end one of the most important days of our lives. I knew there would be many more important days and many more hard days to come but with Spencer by my side, I could face the world.

 *****Baby girl is here and the family is now complete. There is not much left of this story but I have loved writing every minute of it. I have an idea for a new story after this and would very much like to hear if anyone would be interested in reading it. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter and don't forget to R &R. Thank you for reading.**


	55. Chapter 54

_~SPENCER POV~_

I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I realized that it was less than 10 minutes before I got married to the woman of my dreams. I wasn't worried about getting married, that was the most exciting thing I could imagine. I was nervous that I was going to forget my vows or she'd change her mind and leave me at the alter, both irrationally thoughts that would seem ridiculous if I was sound of mind.

"Reid, you look like I did at my first wedding." Rossi said as he walked up to me.

I laughed before saying "I'm more nervous than I have been in a long time."

"Pretty boy, you've been shot at it and you're more nervous now?" Morgan said with a laugh.

"You're life is about to change forever, it's perfectly normal for you to be nervous." Hotch said and I smiled at the thought of being with her for the rest of my life.

Garcia walked up then with Diandrea in her arms and I immediately wrapped up my now three month old daughter in my arms. "She's a little fussy."

"That's okay. She just needs her daddy." I said and she immediately started cooing in my arms. I smiled as I looked into her beautiful brown eyes. They were so much more amazing than mine even though they were an exact mirror.

Tyler walked over about five minutes later and said "You ready?"

"Absolutely." I said and placed a kiss on my daughter's forehead before handing her over to Garcia.

Music started playing and I watched as Sloane, JJ, and Garcia walked out in blue and black dresses. I couldn't help but look at Sloane and remember her wedding, when I had wished that it was Bexley walking to meet me down the aisle.

Now, she was and I felt my heart racing faster than it ever had and I was about to start a new point in my life with my daughter and wife. I watched as Eleanor came into sight first and then my heart jumped into my chest. Bexley walked out in a flowing yellow dress and her long red hair was flowing down her back in soft wave like curls.

"Wow." I couldn't help the silent word from escaping my lips and they walked down the aisle together, Bexley smiled at my expression.

"Who gives this woman away?" The preacher asked and Eleanor smiled.

She looked at Bexley and said "I do."

She kissed her cheek before letting go of Bexley's hand and she took a step toward me. As the preacher started the ceremony, not once did Bexley take her eyes off of me and I could barely hear the words that were being said but she mouthed "I love you" to calm my nerves. She always knew what to do.

We said our I do's and our vows and it was now time for us to kiss to "seal the deal" as she'd said during the rehearsal. It was something we'd done many times but now it held more meaning than any kiss had before.

I gently put my hand on her cheek before leaning in and gently pressing my lips to hers. Once I kissed her, I didn't want to stop. I am unsure of how long we kissed but it was long enough for Hotch to clear his throat and Sloane to start snickering.

Bexley blushed before pecking my lips once more. We turned around and looked at all of our friend's and family. I'd been surprised when I'd seen both my mother and father in the audience of people but they'd both told me that Bexley thought they should be here for this and that they'd want to meet their granddaughter.

After we conversed with our families for a while, I noticed Bexley and Diandrea were missing from our wedding. I smiled and walked outside to the small garden area outside of the hotel we'd just gotten married in. I smiled when I saw them there, Bexley was speaking Romanian to Diandrea and even if I couldn't understand her, I knew she was speaking loving terms to our daughter.

She'd come so far from the home she'd been raised in and I knew without a doubt in my heart that was the most amazing person I'd ever met. She was brave, loving, compassionate, and my saving grace.

"Are you going to wrap your arms around me now or are you going to watch me cuddle our Diandrea all night?" She asked as she turned to look at me.

I laughed and walked over to wrap my arms around her waist from behind and kissed her cheek before looking at our now sleeping daughter. "She's beautiful."

"I never thought I'd have a family and now I have a husband and a daughter." She said and I smiled as I rested my cheek against hers.

I placed a light kiss at the corner of her mouth before saying "You have more than that. You have a mother and father in law, you have a family at the B.A.U., you have a sister in Sloane, a brother in Tyler, and a nephew. You have more people who love you than you have in your entire life and you can know without a doubt that they will always love you."

She smiled in agreement before saying "You know this all started because of you."

"What do you mean?" I asked questioningly.

She snuggled our daughter closer and said "If you'd never asked me for one chance to prove that you were different, we wouldn't be standing here. Spencer, you risked everything to show me that the world wasn't full of hate and there is no way I will ever be able to thank you enough for the happy ending that you've given me."

"We have the rest of our lives together and this is far from an ending. We've only just started our lives together, my love." I said and hugged her closer.

"I like the sound of that."

 *****Well… this is it. This is the last chapter. Spencer and Bexley's story is over and it makes me a little sad to see it end but I don't think I could think of a better way to end it. I want to think each and every one of you for the support on this story. Thank you for the favorites, the follows, and the reviews for this story and for me. I appreciate each and every one of them. I will be starting Stolen Heart very soon and hope you will enjoy a new OC as much as you have loved Bexley. Thank you for reading.**


	56. AN

**Okay everyone. The first chapter of Stolen Heart is up and I would love to hear what you all think of it. Thank you so much for the support on One Chance. I hope this story will be one you all look forward to reading and I will update as often as possible. Thanks again :)**


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